Investigations for Courtroom Presentations-Beginning with the End in Mind

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Instructor:

William L. Cataldo – Chief of Homicide, Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office (Retired), former criminal defense attorney and current In-House Tribal Prosecutor for Little River Band of Ottawa Indians

Craig Keith – D/Lieutenant, Clinton Township Police Department, (Retired). Chief Investigator for the Macomb County Prosecutor’s Office, (Retired).

Course Description:

Juries today suffer from “The NCIS Effect,” the expectation that all necessary evidence is easily obtained and expeditiously presented through the use of “science.” There is some truth to this; fully 85% of todays’ court cases involve the use of some form of advanced technology, (DNA sampling, cellphone and cell tower analytics, FARO technology, Total Stations, drones, cell phone cameras).  As a result of the media’s faux presentation of crime scene investigation, today’s juries require that the case not just be “proven” but must also be “shown,” i.e. presented in a fashion that they can understand and follow logically. With this in mind, the investigator must now “begin with the end in mind,” approaching a crime scene with an understanding of how this information is going to be processed by and presented to a jury. This course is designed to teach investigating officers an approach to CSI with an understanding of the technologies involved, their uses and limitations and how to gather evidence, keeping in mind the final goal of an effective presentation to the jury.

Topics Include:

  • Using Current Available Investigative Technologies
  • Documenting and investigating a crime scene keeping in mind the end result of presenting it in court 
  • Proper Order/Procedure of Electronic Evidence Collection and Storage
  • Effective Report Writing
  • Trial Testimony and Presentation
  • The wisdom of explaining why, despite advanced technology, physical evidence is not found at every crime scene
  • Discovery Rules

Course Details:

- 302 Funds Eligible -

*No shows WILL be billed unless cancellation is received 5 days prior to the class*