Friday, May 14, 2010

Steve Nodine Angel Downs case borders on unreal

From the Mobile Press-Register

Investigators confirm gun used to shoot Commissioner Nodine's girlfriend was hers


GULF SHORES, Ala. Police investigating the shooting death of Mobile County Commissioner Stephen Nodine's girlfriend have confirmed that she owned the gun that was used but have not determined who pulled the trigger.

Gulf Shores Police Lt. Dennis King also said this morning that Nodine, the only "person of interest" in the case, changed his clothes before meeting with investigators after the death of Angel Downs.

Baldwin Co. D.A Judy Newcomb said that forensic scientists did not conduct a gunpowder residue test on Downs' hand. She said Alabama's forensic scientists never perform that test because they believe it is unreliable.


WHAT?!?!?!?!? Since when is this test unreliable? If one shoots oneself in the head then there will be gunpowder and blood on the hands. This is the first time I have ever heard such a thing. Has D.A. Judy Newcomb ever used gunpowder residue test results to imprison anyone in Baldwin County? If so, will those people get new trials?

Where are the clothes that Nodine was wearing before he talked to police? If he shot her then there would most likely be gunpowder and blood on his clothing. Is that test unreliable, too? Has his home been searched? Was the truck cleaned before police impounded it? Why did it take three hours before Nodine turned himself into police? Why did he check himself into a psych ward yesterday? Is someone covering for him?

I don't need to tell any of you that things would be vastly different if it were you or I, first caught with marijuana and, then suspected in the death of our lover. We'd still be in jail on the first charge.

Also, how come Nodine, a "Family Values" Republican, was able to run around with Angel Downs in public for years, while elected, and no one say anything about it or use it against him during an election or not cause his "Family Values" supporters to call for his removal from office?

Just what is going on here?

BTW, DA Judy Newcomb says there will be news about the Nodine marijuana incident sometime today.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

I am still in shock at the casual omission of the gunpowder residue test. How is it even possible to simply OMIT THAT TEST in this situation?? And why isn't the media outraged and asking more questions about that very important detail?

This whole time those are the results I was waiting to hear (as, I suspect, were many others). Wow. Unbelievable.

sixstring said...

Yes, I don't understand how he was able to run around with her and it not be used against him by political enemies.

I'm not sure there is probable cause to charge him with a murder at this point based what is public knowledge. There are certainly a lot of suspicious circumstances and police often release "incriminating evidence" the press while witholding exculpatory information.

I hope Judy Newcomb is defeated in the upcoming election. Any D.A. who's office prosecutes a couple on felony trafficking charges for one mj plant needs to be replaced!

Loretta Nall said...

I know anon....My jaw hit the floor when I read about the gun shot residue test not being conducted. And I don't know why the media isn't asking these same questions. Right now I wish I was a reporter for the Mobile Press-Register or some alternative media in Mobile.

Loretta Nall said...

sixstring....There may not be enough evidence to charge him yet but he sure acts guilty as hell.

Wonder how/if I could find out if Judy Newcomb has ever used GSR test results to convict and imprison anyone?

sixstring said...

I believe you could file a FOI request with her office to get it. It's public info.

Jen McClurg said...

Loretta, I was wondering the same thing. She presents the omission of testing for gunshot residue as a matter of state policy. She said specifically that they "never" conduct that test.

Someone must have access to records from other Alabama homicide investigations to determine what tests were conducted/included. I'd be VERY interested to know how many in the state included this test as a matter of routine investigation.

If it truly is none, or very few, then so be it. But if most of them do, then something is very fishy here.

The job of forensic scientists is to gather scientific evidence, not to decide in advance if their evidence will hold up in court!