This has already been well-demonstrated in the case of Patrick Bradford, falsely convicted in 1993 of the murder of Tammy Lohr. It took years to unravel and document that complex web of perjury and deception spun by Prosecutor Stan Levco and detective Guy Minnis. But even now, 20 years later, their lies continue to multiply.
Having learned of a Law and Society class at St. Louis University studying the irregularities of the case, former detective Minnis felt compelled--like a moth to the flame, it would seem--to address the class in person in a futile attempt to salvage his tattered web.
Early reports from the students on the spectacle indicate that Minnis, under cover of selective memory, theatrics, bluster, and wholesale slander of Patrick Bradford (naturally) and of his well-respected family (inexplicably), refused to answer any pertinent questions. Instead, he piled more transparent lies on top of those already exposed. It will take time to parse and research all of Minnis' diatribe, but two example follow:
Silence of the Lambs
Aside from slander, Minnis employed mostly unprovable harpoons. For example, he declared that the FBI had worked up a psychological "profile" on Patrick, dubbing him a "narcissistic monster". The problems with this one of Minnis' lies are many:
1.) This is not what a "profile" is. The FBI employs psychologically trained criminalists to develop a "profile" on hypothetical perpetrators based on the known characteristics of a given crime.
2.) Some attempt at this legitimate profiling was made, as we know from the 1992 deposition of Stanley Ford, but nothing involving a psychological disorder, and certainly nothing inolving Patrick Bradford.
3.) Patrick was never the subject of a psychological examination, which would have involved, at least, some kind of interview by a qualified professional. (There was, however, rigorous testing and interviewing during the pre-employment process, which marked Patrick as a stable, and desirable candidate for the EPD.)
4.) Minnis had already shown himself fond of the word "narcissist" in his railing email to the class in advance of his appearance. This imaginary FBI profiler sounds a great deal like Minnis himself. At any rate, he misuses the term "narcissistic".
In fact, this lie is not new. At least one witness reported that, during the investigation, Minnis used this story to influence her as he interviewed her. He told her he had gone to the FBI Headquarters "like in Silence of the Lambs," where profilers told him Patrick is a "pretty scary guy".
Nothing was beneath him then; nothing has changed.
The Trouble with Soot
Another of Minnis' new/old lies involves actual evidence: physical evidence. He claimed that no soot was found on Patrick's uniform (indicating that Patrick's account of entering the house and observing the fire at the bedroom door was fabricated). This lie has its own set of problems:
1.) No such test was done. The FBI report on the testing of the uniform proves that. How was it determined that there was no soot on a black uniform? (On the other hand, the FBI did test for blood and gasoline...and there was none!).
2.) As Minnis knows very well, the presence of soot WAS reported by witnesses.
a. Officer Robert Weaver testified that he saw what he believed was soot on Patrick's face and smelled smoke (which is merely airborne soot) on his uniform (1042).
b. Officer Ryan Rizen testified to the identical description of soot on Patrick's face (and light coloration on the knees of his uniform, consistent with Patrick's account of crawling in on the carpet). (1009, 21-22).
Unlike the honest Officer Weaver, Rizen was very reluctant to confirm the soot, but he was compelled to do so by his prior deposition. He was clearly influenced before trial by Minnis/Levco.
3.) The trial record starkly demonstrates that Prosecutor Levco, too, was wishing that the evidence of the soot would just go away. His attempt to make that happen must be read to be believed.
From Levco's closing argument:
"I didn't hear anybody say that they smelled smoke, I think maybe Officer Weaver did but certainly if he did he was the only one; didn't smell smoke on his uniform and there wasn't anybody--Ryan Rizen said there was something about the uniform knees that was different, but you saw the uniform and nobody else said that (4063).
Like the Jedi mind trick, irresistible to the weak-minded.
How far will it go? How much more ridiculous will the lies become? Even now that the web has been irreversibly dismantled, Minnis continues to spin!
