\"Writing.Com
*Magnify*
SPONSORED LINKS
BY ONLINE AUTHORS
Printed from https://shop.writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/9824-Tampering-with-evidence.html
Mystery: October 23, 2019 Issue [#9824]




 This week: Tampering with evidence
  Edited by: Arakun the twisted raccoon Author IconMail Icon
                             More Newsletters By This Editor  Open in new Window.

Table of Contents

1. About this Newsletter
2. A Word from our Sponsor
3. Letter from the Editor
4. Editor's Picks
5. A Word from Writing.Com
6. Ask & Answer
7. Removal instructions

About This Newsletter

Quote for the week: "The fact that an opinion has been widely held is no evidence whatever that it is not utterly absurd."
~Bertrand Russell


Word from our sponsor

ASIN: B0CJKJMTPD
Product Type: Kindle Store
Amazon's Price: $ 4.99


Letter from the editor

A case against a criminal is only as strong as the evidence. If the evidence is found to be unreliable, the case will fall apart.

Evidence can be unreliable for many reasons. For example, the fact that a suspect's DNA is found at a murder scene does not mean anything if the suspect had an innocent reason to be there.

Evidence might not be allowed in court if defense attorneys can prove it was interfered with in some way or not obtained legally. Even evidence that was obtained legally might actually be unreliable if it was deliberately planted to throw the police off the track.

Planted evidence in your story might be include weapons, DNA, money, stolen goods, drugs, photos, or anything else designed to throw the investigators off the track. The real guilty party might plant evidence that will lead to another person being blamed for the crime. Maybe a character might believe a certain person is guilty of a crime, and will plant evidence leading to that person to make sure they are caught. The police might even actually plant evidence themselves if they are sure their suspect is guilty but have a weak case. Planted evidence might lead to an innocent person being wrongfully convicted or might ruin a case against a guilty person if it is discovered to be false.

The strongest evidence in the world will be useless if a character prevents investigators from finding it. The perpetrator might clean up fingerprints, hair, blood, or any other evidence that places them at the scene. A killer might even hide or destroy a body, burn their bloody clothes, and throw the weapon in to the sea. They might also attempt to destroy electronic evidence such as text messages, emails, computer hard drives, and security video. If your characters try to alter or destroy electronic evidence, remember that IT experts often have ways of recovering what was removed.

A killer might try to make a murder look like suicide by placing a gun in the victim's hand or writing a fake suicide note. Another character might try to make a suicide look like murder by destroying the suicide note or removing and destroying the weapon. A character might even set up their own suicide to look like murder by planting evidence that points to someone they want blamed.

One form of unreliable evidence shows up often in mystery stories but hopefully never occurs in real life. An amateur detective or other lay person pokes around a crime scene and discovers a key piece of evidence which they bring to the police. Evidence discovered this way would not be admissible because the person would not be able to prove the circumstances under which they found it. Even actual police officers need to be careful about how they collect evidence and preserving the chain of custody that proves it was not tampered with

When you write stories that deal with unreliable evidence, you will need to think like both a criminal and a detective. How might a criminal try to hide a crime? How will the detective see through the network of lies the criminal has woven? In the best stories, it is not too easy for either of them.

Something to try: Write a mystery story that involves unreliable evidence.





Editor's Picks

Image Protector
STATIC
Mirror, Mirror  Open in new Window. (E)
What woke me up?
#2105067 by WakeUpAndLive Author IconMail Icon


19th Anniversary Cop Shop Mystery Open in new Window. (13+)
The ending to the mystery of the librarian hostage at the Founder's Day Celebration.
#2201825 by Schnujo's NOT Doing NaNoWriMo Author IconMail Icon


Time of the Dragon: Part One Open in new Window. (13+)
The first part of the sequel to "The Dragon Rises" - Mulligan and the Serial Killers
#741455 by Jack Goldman Author IconMail Icon


Image Protector
STATIC
The Circus of Thieves Open in new Window. (13+)
A tongue-in-cheek murder mystery staring Bob, the private investigator
#992994 by W.D.Wilcox Author IconMail Icon


Image Protector
STATIC
A Monster's Heart Open in new Window. (13+)
A serial killer awakens from a coma to a harsh reality he is not prepared for...
#1138018 by iKïyå§ama Author IconMail Icon

 
Submit an item for consideration in this newsletter!
https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form

Word from Writing.Com

Have an opinion on what you've read here today? Then send the Editor feedback! Find an item that you think would be perfect for showcasing here? Submit it for consideration in the newsletter!
         https://www.Writing.Com/go/nl_form

Don't forget to support our sponsor!

ASIN: B000FC0SIM
Amazon's Price: $ 12.99


Ask & Answer

Question for next time: What subjects would you like to see in future mystery newsletters?

*Bullet* *Bullet* *Bullet* Don't Be Shy! Write Into This Newsletter! *Bullet* *Bullet* *Bullet*

This form allows you to submit an item on Writing.Com and feedback, comments or questions to the Writing.Com Newsletter Editors. In some cases, due to the volume of submissions we receive, please understand that all feedback and submissions may not be responded to or listed in a newsletter. Thank you, in advance, for any feedback you can provide!
Writing.Com Item ID To Highlight (Optional):

Send a comment or question to the editor!
Limited to 2,500 characters.
Word from our sponsor
ASIN: B00KN0JEYA
Amazon's Price: $ 4.99

Removal Instructions

To stop receiving this newsletter, click here for your newsletter subscription list. Simply uncheck the box next to any newsletter(s) you wish to cancel and then click to "Submit Changes". You can edit your subscriptions at any time.


Printed from https://shop.writing.com/main/newsletters/action/archives/id/9824-Tampering-with-evidence.html