Can someone get away with murder?

[Blue Chipper]

non-moderator note: I advise any psychopath to exit this thread as this has potential to entail provocative notions.

Lets have a sensible discussion here. I know this topic is somewhat weird, but here me out. I feel this thread can spark some interesting discussion.

Technology has elevated a lot over the past few decades. Nearly everything has been effected by it. Forensic science has also adapted accordingly. Now, DNA can be analyzed readily, as compared to the early 90's when there methods were fickle and barely produced results. There's hardly anything that we can't learn. If an event occurred, we can roughly determine what time it happened, who was there, etc. Largely due to forensics and its amazing advances. Forensics can study DNA, bones, etc. and accurately determine whom the DNA, bones, etc. belongs to. Something else that's startling, is that it's never wrong.

Now, stir in this additional fact. We can analyze hand writing, crime scenes, and everything else that isn't DNA. This is attributed to the material that we now have. We can study everything in a given scene. We have strong investigators, equipped with strong apparatus.

So, in this age, if we have the strongest group of investigators and scientists in the world probe a murder, is there a situation where you could get away with murder? Again, this is a pretty odd topic, but I think it has amazing potential for debate. This can be a civil, sensible discussion.

Be creative here, I know it's fairly silly.

Can someone get away with murder when technology has advanced so broadly? Can we get away with murder when we're now equipped with incredibly unbelievable material? Can we get away with murder when we have so much resources?

Can you tell I've been watching forensic files? Yea, that's where my wonder in this topic popped.

Lets have some engaging discussion.

 

[SavageTaker]

Yet another great thread BC.

Anyways, I think the chances of someone getting away with Murder are very slim but not impossible. Like you clearly pointed out, we are very advanced in the forensics field especially when compared to several years/decades ago. Also, it’s harder for murders to actually get away with murder when there are several search groups out there willing to invest their time into finding bodies of murdered people. These groups are huge! I mean, look at the search group that went looking for Caylee Anthony’s corpse. I don’t remember how many people it was but I’m pretty sure it was a few hundreds if not thousands looking for the body of the little girl.

In this day and age, it has become extremely difficult for someone to get away with murder because of the advanced technology and the huge search groups willing to help. But like I said, it’s not impossible. Just look at Dexter Morgan (from the show Dexter) for example. I know it’s a TV show, but it isn’t entirely impossible for there to be someone just like him that hasn’t been caught yet, right? For me, it’s not hard to believe something like that when I know there are a plethora of crazy, demented people out there.

 

[Mustang Sally]

Can we get away with murder when we have so much resources?

From a technological standpoint, you're right on the mark. But to see someone actually convicted of murder, the case still has to go before a court. As long as juries are human and the standard for conviction remains "reasonable doubt," there will always be people who wind up getting away with murder.

Someone is bound to bring up O.J. Simpson in this thread, so I might as well do it. His blood was found at the crime scene; forensics proved it. This is akin to being caught standing over the body with a bloody knife in one's hands.

Yet, still, he was acquitted.

Yeah, people can still get away with murder. Unfortunately.

 

[X]

I think you guys are vastly overrating the abilities of local law enforcement around the country. Yes, forensics and DNA technologies have advanced to frightening heights, but you don't think they actually use those technologies for every single murder case, do you? It's actually quite easy to get with murder, you just have to do it right. If you just went out and shot someone random you saw on the streets and immediately disposed of the gun, so long as you weren't connected to that person at all and no one saw you, the odds of being caught are very, very slim.

You really think the police are going to break out the forensics when some crackhead gets shot in an alleyway? Hell no, they're just going to bag him up and forget about him. If you murder someone with alot of power or public image than yeah your odds of getting caught skyrocket, but for the most part murder really isn't that difficult to get away with depending on the victim.

Yeah, this has turned into quite the morbid thread...

 

[Blue Chipper]

I think you guys are vastly overrating the abilities of local law enforcement around the country. Yes, forensics and DNA technologies have advanced to frightening heights, but you don't think they actually use those technologies for every single murder case, do you? It's actually quite easy to get with murder, you just have to do it right. If you just went out and shot someone random you saw on the streets and immediately disposed of the gun, so long as you weren't connected to that person at all and no one saw you, the odds of being caught are very, very slim.

You are not understanding the question that I'm posing.

So, in this age, if we have the strongest group of investigators and scientists in the world probe a murder, is there a situation where you could get away with murder?

What I'm actually trying to discuss is if someone can get away with murder if an investigative team DOES investigate the case. I'm not wanting to discuss whether or not a case is worthy of investigation. Of course most small cases don't get studied very hard, but again, that's not what I mean.

Let me rephrase the question: Can someone get away with murder IF an investigative group analyzes it? Is there a situation where the investigative group couldn't find the killer?

You really think the police are going to break out the forensics when some crackhead gets shot in an alleyway? Hell no, they're just going to bag him up and forget about him. If you murder someone with alot of power or public image than yeah your odds of getting caught skyrocket, but for the most part murder really isn't that difficult to get away with depending on the victim.

See above. X, I am saying if they do investigate a case, with all the forensics and such, can someone truly get away with murder?

Yeah, this has turned into quite the morbid thread...

Well, it seems people are not completely getting the topic. Perhaps if we could fully comprehend it, it would be a pretty good discussion.

Does anyone really not get what I'm saying? Refer to the rephrased question. I thought it was pretty obvious though:

So, in this age, if we have the strongest group of investigators and scientists in the world probe a murder, is there a situation where you could get away with murder?

 

[X]

You are not understanding the question that I'm posing.

What I'm actually trying to discuss is if someone can get away with murder if an investigative team DOES investigate the case. I'm not wanting to discuss whether or not a case is worthy of investigation. Of course most small cases don't get studied very hard, but again, that's not what I mean.

Let me rephrase the question: Can someone get away with murder IF an investigative group analyzes it? Is there a situation where the investigative group couldn't find the killer?


See above. X, I am saying if they do investigate a case, with all the forensics and such, can someone truly get away with murder?


Well, it seems people are not completely getting the topic. Perhaps if we could fully comprehend it, it would be a pretty good discussion.

Does anyone really not get what I'm saying? Refer to the rephrased question. I thought it was pretty obvious though:

First off, my apologies for not completely reading your original post in this thread. To be honest often times I'll just skim the first few sentences of a topic, think about if I want to touch on that topic, and move on. My apologies.

But as for your question of whether or not it would be possible for someone to get away with murder if they were being investigated using the top technologies in forensics, the answer is still yes, but to a much lesser degree. One way that you could get away with the murder would be any sorot of technicality in the investigation, like illegal search warrants and the like. Assuming that everything was followed to the letter though in the investigation and there's no technicality for the suspect to be set free on? I'm really not sure if I can answer that BC. I'm sure there are cases where the evidence simply isn't sufficient enough despite the advanced technologies, but I think it's a rather hard question if you're asking for me to predict scenarios in which this would be feasible.

Science was never my strong suit, so I may not be the best person to touch on this topic.

 

[Remix]

Forensics can study DNA, bones, etc. and accurately determine whom the DNA, bones, etc. belongs to. Something else that's startling, is that it's never wrong.

Actually, it's more accurate to say that it's almost never wrong. DNA cant tell the difference between two identical twins and things like fingerprints can be difficult to tell the difference between. also, the murderer would have to leave some of his DNA behind.

And as for how soneone could get away with murder, there are a few ways I can think of. Do it from a distance, buy a sniper rifle with a silencer, put on a balaclava, gloves and new trainers, shoot them from a rooftop then scarper, getitng the hell out of the country if you have to. Secondly thereps the good old fashoned doing it in a public place, wearing a cap, hoodie (or other non suspicious identity conceling clothing) and gloves so that any evidence is tough to tell apart from any other bystander's. and then getting the fuck away from the area (and country if possible), and not telling anyone where you're going. the police could tell you've left the country (which would definately be a good idea) but if you steal a car, grow some facial hair (or lose it if you already have a lot), forge some documents/steal soneone's ID, and keep moving, you can probably evade capture for years on end. And finally, get a locksmith to break you into a house (fake some ID of a utilities bill left outside. ID theft is fun. (see: the real hustle)), fick with the boiler so that the house gets filled with carbon monoxide and get the fuck out of there before you (A) die and (B) get caught. the owners will suffocate, which will get put down to a faulty boiler and no murder trial will get done. You could also fuck with the tablets in a pharmacy. any deaths caused by your meddling will be attributed to the pharmacist, who'll get a criminal record, lose his liscence, and in general get his life ruined while you'll get away with it.

Technology makes the perfect crime harder, but not impossible.

 

[lordslix0129]

This thread kind of reminds me of the ridiculousness behind the show CSI, even though I'm a huge fan of CSI: NY, the show uses some ridiculous technologies to find murderers, murderer weapons, motive, whereabouts to suspects, who they work for, etc..

I remember one episode, they were dealing with a computer hacker that was using technology to murder people in connection of the doctors that mis-diagnosed him and allowed him to suffer from cancer even more. Somehow, the CSI NY team had complete access to the internal network of the company that the hacker was working for in the past, and they used that to figure out where he lived. Total and complete bullshit.

You guys should also check out Mr. Brooks, with Kevin Costner. He plays a wealthy business owner that has apparently gotten away with murder for a long time, and the CSI's and detectives still had no idea who it was. They nicknamed him the "Thumb Print Killer". He was so meticulous with cleaning up the crime scene, removing any and all evidence that could incriminate him, it was really ridiculous.

Nothing is impossible, but now days, you'd have to have a genius level intellect, a lot of freaking money to get away with murder, at least in the long run. I mean, eventually, people that have been on the run for 10 years still get caught eventually. People make mistakes, and that's how they get busted. Technology and the internet has become so easily accessable, cheap and powerful that it has enabled society as a whole to make our lives and businesses safer and more secure. It's one of those things where "u never know who is watching or listening.."

 

[Cena's Little Helper]

Yes, someone can easily get away with murder nowadays, and it is paradoxically because of forensics. Because of the popularity of crime procedurals on television, juries now expect prosecutors to bring in nothing less than direct evidence linking defendants to the crimes they are accused of; if they fail to meet this expectation, then an acquittal is probable.

And, as xfearbefore pointed out, crime laboratories are nowhere as thorough, quick, and big-budgeted as they are on such shows as CSI. So, to answer your question, yes, I believe that we have the scientific tools to determine the perpetrator of any criminal act. However, using these tools as effectively as they are used on television is nothing more than a pipe dream.

 

[antfarm612]

Mafia-related murders are almost never solved, even if every cop in the city knows who did it. So yes, it's very possible.