Ripper Facts

[Columbo]

I agree with Gut that there is a strong possibility that witness descriptions are not of the killer.


There are very few facts in my opinion. Maybe two:
1- The killer carried the weapon with him before and after the murders.
2- The victims were killed where they were found.

I do not include the throat cutting in facts, because it would mean taking the canonical five for granted, and that is more a deduction than fact.

Also, almost a fact, imo:
1- the killer was familiar with Whitechapel/Spitalfields.


About witness descriptions: there is an interesting TED talk from a forensic specialist. 20 minute long, worth watching.
https://www.ted.com/talks/scott_fras...ness_testimony

So are you saying the witnesses saw no one with the victims, or that Annie Chapman found another customer within 30 minutes or so, Eddowes serviced the one she was seen with and found another within the same timeframe and near Mitre's Square who happened to be JTR? Was Stride beatened up by a suitor and then 10 minutes or so later JTR found her in Dutsfield's Yard and killed her?

Columbo

[GUT]

I agree with Gut that there is a strong possibility that witness descriptions are not of the killer.


There are very few facts in my opinion. Maybe two:
1- The killer carried the weapon with him before and after the murders.
2- The victims were killed where they were found.

I do not include the throat cutting in facts, because it would mean taking the canonical five for granted, and that is more a deduction than fact.

Also, almost a fact, imo:
1- the killer was familiar with Whitechapel/Spitalfields.


About witness descriptions: there is an interesting TED talk from a forensic specialist. 20 minute long, worth watching.
https://www.ted.com/talks/scott_fras...ness_testimony

Witness ID is of itself an interesting topic, in most jurisdictions if a criminal case involves ID evidence a judge is required to give the jury a warning as to how unreliable such evidence is.

[GUT]

Do you go to a car dealer when you need surgery? Or to a dentist when you want a haircut?

That must be why police forces around the world employ so many history majors as detectives in their murder squads.

And the cold case squads are absolutely awash with historians.

But then of course I'm not sure anyone here believes Pierre is an historian so maybe he is perfectly placed.

[SirJohnFalstaff]

I agree with Gut that there is a strong possibility that witness descriptions are not of the killer.


There are very few facts in my opinion. Maybe two:
1- The killer carried the weapon with him before and after the murders.
2- The victims were killed where they were found.

I do not include the throat cutting in facts, because it would mean taking the canonical five for granted, and that is more a deduction than fact.

Also, almost a fact, imo:
1- the killer was familiar with Whitechapel/Spitalfields.


About witness descriptions: there is an interesting TED talk from a forensic specialist. 20 minute long, worth watching.

https://www.ted.com/talks/scott_fraser_the_problem_with_eyewitness_testimony

[David Orsam]

Do you go to a car dealer when you need surgery? Or to a dentist when you want a haircut?

Who do you go to so solve a murder: a historian or a detective?