HomeMy WebLinkAboutHuron Expositor, 2006-07-12, Page 8Page 8 July 12, 2006 • The Huron Expositor
*Deep Muscle
Therapy
*Reflexology
OReiki Jenniler
*Ear Candling Mcglrcney
COUNSELLING
Brian O'Reilly
• Marriage
• Personal Growth
• Executive Coaching
•Life Coaching
519-522-1032
Brucefield
News
fitness in Truscott trial says memories
differ from statement given to OPP in 1
Cheryl Heath
6111111111111111111
Professor Richard W. Merritt
is not a proponent of the "fly
by" theory.
The fly -by theory, first
dubbed as such by Justice
Marc Rosenberg, was put forth
by U.S.-based entomologist
Neal Haskell during three days
of a sometimes rigorous cross-
examinatioi the week before.
Haskell used it to explain
why flesh flies would not begin
colonizing the victim's body
until up to 24 hours after being
drawn to the area, which puts
the victim's time of death
sometime before sunset on
June 9, 1959.
Merritt, chairman of ento-
mology at Michigan State
University, said, however, that
such is not neces-
sarily the case,
especially ina
region like
Lawson's bush
that had a cow
pasture nearby
the crime scene.
Merritt, whose
long list of
achievements
and experience
includes a current
position as a consult-
ing entomologist for Hershey's
chocolate, says .flesh -fly
colonization could have
begun on the victim's body
almost immediately.
He also said 'the testi-
mony of earlier witness Dr.
Sherah VanLaerhoven, an
assistant professor at the
University of Windsor and
a key entomology expert
for the province, jives with
what he has gleaned about
the case.
"We both came to the
same conclusion,". he says.
Merritt was quick to
note the estimated time of
death is not etched in
stone.
"I'm not an expert on
death," he said, adding
that instead, he was
guessing at the time range
— known as Post Mortem
Interval (PMI) — when
insect colonization began,
which he said is likely the
morning or later in the
day on June 10, 1959.
Merritt said that after a
careful review of photos
from the crime scene,
along with available data,
he was comfortable with
guessing at what types of
insects were on site, name-
ly bluebottle blowflies and
flesh flies.
During an examination with
the justices, Merritt noted a
mere millimetre is
the sole difference
between determin-
ing whether insect
colonization began
onJune9— as is
the Crown's suppo-
sition — or' June
10 or later, which
is the defence
team's. estimation.
Merritt said the
defence team's esti-
mate makes the most
sense in this case.
He also noted Haskell's fly -by
explanation is a hypothesis.
"It's not a theory. A theory is.
based on fact and experiment,"
said Merritt.
The testimony of a witness
who was nine years old in 1959
was heard in a courtroom for
the first time on Wednesday.
Karen Jutzi, known as Karen
Daum and identified as such in
Julian Sher's book about the
Truscott trial, Until You Are
Dead, took the stand to answer
questions about the statement
she first signed in 1959.
What stood out to her, said
Jutzi of the time when CBC's
The .Fifth Estate program
interviewed her prior to its
2000 investigation: into the
Truscott case, was how her
recalled memories differ so
strongly from what was record-
ed by the OPP officer at the
time.
Jutzi, who lived on
Edmonton Road at the base
during June 1959, said the
statement — as presented to
her by Fifth Estate staffers —
was shocking because she
remembers seeing Lynne on
the crossbar, of Truscott's bike -
the day the 12 -year-old disap-
peared.
hurch
Services
You are invited to attend these area churches
St. Thomas
Anglican .Church
A Congregation of the Parish of The Holy Spirit
Jarvis St. Seaforth 527-1522
Rector: The Rev'd Sue Malpus. M. Div
Sunday, July 16
Worship 9:30 am
Everyone Welcome
Bethel Bible Church
An Associated Gospel Church
126 Main St. Seaforth 527-0982
Sunday Worship
10:00 a.m.
Youth Activities Wednesday 7:00 p.m.
Pastor Mark Kennedy
EVERYONE WELCOME
NORTHSIDE UNITED
CHURCH
54 Goderich St. W.
Rev. John Gould
No Services until
Sunday August 6th
ST. PATRICK'S CHURCH
81 Mill St. Dublin
Father Alan Dufralmont
Mass
St. Patricks
Sunday 11:00 a.m.
Wheelchair Accessible
St. James Roman
-=Catholic Church
Welcomes you
14 Victoria Street, Seaforth
527-0142
Weekend Masses: Sat 5:15 pm
Sun. 11:00 aw
Fr. Chris Gillespie
Egmondville
United Church
Egmondville Cemetery is owned and
operated by Egmondville United Church
Sundy, July 16
Worship10:30 am
Note Summer Service Time.
Steve Hildebrand
' Lay Pastoral Minister
First Presbyterian
Church
Goderich St. W., Seaforth
Rev. Henry Huberts
Sunday, July 16"'.
Worship 11:15 a.m. Service
Nursery & Movie for Children
ST. VINCENT de PAUL
29 Nelson St. Mitchell
Office 345-2972
Times •
St. Vincent de. Paul
Sat. 5:00 p.m. Sun. 9:00 a.m.
- Everyone Welcome
GAFFNEY
ELECTRICAL SOLUTIONS LTD.
r+!<tAUUMON • PANNIE NNCE • CO61111O13
M/C Eu orrr 519-348-05015
www.gaffneyelectrical.ca
• Full line of Electrical Services
• Electric Motor Sales and Service
• Aerial Bucket Truck Service
• TREE LIMB REMOVAL
• Retail Sales
82 Huron Road Mitchell
1488-5954655
Jutzi said she
remembers it well
because Truscott had
veered towards her,
forcing her bike off the road.
At what point in the road
that incident occurred —
namely before or after the trac-
tor trail which led to where
Lynne's body was found June
11 — proved to be a point of
contention.
But, Jutzi first recounted the
solid memories of the day,
including turtle hunting with
her slightly older friend,. Doug
Oates r_4r rte _��
Jutzi said she also knows it
was after 7 p.m. when she.
started heading home. She said
she and Oates were travelling
together until he got his pant -
leg caught in his bike, chain.
She decided to keep going
because she was running late.
Jutzi told the court that she
remembers feeling the investi-
gating officer at the time,
Donald Trumbley, did not
believe her story.
"I felt maybe I wasn't saying
the right thing," she said.
She also told the court her
memories of a meeting with
author Isabel LeBourdais and
Truscott lawyers around the
time of the 1966 Supreme
Court reference are sketchy.
As for where she was on the
county road — before or past
the tractor trail — that day,
Jutzi said she was across from
the bush.
She also didn't offer a guess
asto why her father, a lance
corporal, had not noted her
eyewitness account differed.
from officer Trumbley's written
version of her statement in
1959.
Jutzi did say that she under-
stood that her statement was
"hurting" the police's case
against Truscott in 1959.
AIDWYC lawyer Phil
Campbell, calling her father
"strict" and a "by -the -book"
military man, asked her
whether she'd expect him to
correct what the police officer
had written down if it was
wrong.
"Yes," she said.
,_{
Decorative and Functional Ironwork
Featuring Unique, Custom Made - Railings* Gates*
Furniture* Garden Accessories
HAVE YOUR OWN IDEAS MADE INTO REALITY!
Strong, Flexible and Enduring Steel
For your Home/Cottage/Business/Garden
Visit our website at www.workingiron.ca
36854 DUNGANNON ROAD, DUNGANNON
529-3434