5 statement analysis

Statement AnalysisStatement Analysis

That’s about all I can think of.That’s about all I can think of. I can’t say I can ever remember doing I can’t say I can ever remember doing

anything like that.anything like that. I would say the answer is no.I would say the answer is no. I don’t do things like that.I don’t do things like that. Why would I do anything like that?Why would I do anything like that?

(Rudacille, 1994).(Rudacille, 1994).

Polygraph Vs Polygraph Vs Independent Independent

CorroborationCorroborationN = 100N = 100

PolygraphPolygraph Independent Independent CorroborationCorroboration

FailFail 5252 94.2%94.2%

PassPass4848 72.9%72.9% (Rudacille, 1994)(Rudacille, 1994)

Evasive AnswersEvasive Answers

NN EvasionsEvasions

PassPass 4848 48 48

FailFail 5252 322 322

(Rudacille, 1994)(Rudacille, 1994)

Deceptive PersonsDeceptive Persons

6 x6 x

As Many Evasive As Many Evasive AnswersAnswers

Evasive Answers by Type Evasive Answers by Type of Questionof Question

RelevantRelevant Not Not

RelevantRelevant

%% % % DeceptiveDeceptive 95 95 5 5

TruthTruth 20 20 80 80

(Rudacille, (Rudacille, 1994)1994)

Spontaneous DenialSpontaneous Denial

TruthfulTruthful 85%85%

DeceptiveDeceptive7.7%7.7%


Repetition of QuestionsRepetition of Questions

No. of timesNo. of times DeceptiveDeceptive NotNot

askedasked deceptive deceptive

%% %%

22 71 71 1515

33 54 54 0 0

44 6 6 0 0

(Rudacille, (Rudacille, 1994)1994)

Types of Evasive AnswersTypes of Evasive Answers

1. Unfinished business1. Unfinished business

2. “I can’t” or “I won’t”2. “I can’t” or “I won’t”

3. “I would say”3. “I would say”

4. “That’s a hard question.”4. “That’s a hard question.”

5. Objecting to the question5. Objecting to the question

6. Nonreflective denial6. Nonreflective denial

7. Maintenance of dignity7. Maintenance of dignity

Types of Evasive AnswersTypes of Evasive Answers

8. Asking a question8. Asking a question

9. Projection9. Projection

10. No proof10. No proof

11. Accusations11. Accusations

12. “The answer is . . .”12. “The answer is . . .”

13. “Are you asking me?”13. “Are you asking me?”


““The first one he was insinuating The first one he was insinuating that I had done it before. I just that I had done it before. I just went, ‘this has nothing to do went, ‘this has nothing to do with it. Nothing at all. You have with it. Nothing at all. You have no right saying that. You have no no right saying that. You have no business bringing it up. You business bringing it up. You have no business bringing it up have no business bringing it up in front of these people like that. in front of these people like that. It has nothing to do with this.’” It has nothing to do with this.’”


Statement of David Statement of David SmithSmith

““Everywhere I look, I see their play toys and Everywhere I look, I see their play toys and pictures,. . They are both wonderful pictures,. . They are both wonderful children. I don’t know how else to put it. children. I don’t know how else to put it. And I can’t imagine life without them.” And I can’t imagine life without them.”

(Henderson 1994)(Henderson 1994)

Statement of Susan Statement of Susan SmithSmith

““They were my life” They were my life”

(www.crimelibrary.com/fillicide/smith.)(www.crimelibrary.com/fillicide/smith.)

Statement of Susan Statement of Susan SmithSmith

““You son of a b---! How can you think that!. I You son of a b---! How can you think that!. I can’t believe that you think I did it. . . .I did can’t believe that you think I did it. . . .I did not have anything to do with the abduction not have anything to do with the abduction of my children,. . . Whoever did this is a of my children,. . . Whoever did this is a sick and emotionally unstable person.”sick and emotionally unstable person.”

““Somehow I believe that James Somehow I believe that James bumped into my right arm and I bumped into my right arm and I lost control of the gun. I believe lost control of the gun. I believe that the barrel was pointing in that the barrel was pointing in Nancy’s direction and I reacted Nancy’s direction and I reacted by grabbing at the gun to get it by grabbing at the gun to get it back under control. When I did back under control. When I did this the gun discharged. It went this the gun discharged. It went off once and I looked over and off once and I looked over and saw blood on Nancy’s face. I saw blood on Nancy’s face. I immediately got up and -- immediately got up and -- thinking that I did not want thinking that I did not want James to see -- I think I put James to see -- I think I put something over my wife’s upper something over my wife’s upper body.”body.”

““My wife”My wife” 7 times7 times

““Nancy”Nancy” 00

““At approximately 7:30 I got At approximately 7:30 I got up, washed and went up, washed and went upstairs. I made coffee for upstairs. I made coffee for myself and turned on TV in myself and turned on TV in the living room to watch the the living room to watch the morning news. At morning news. At approximately 8:15 Shannon approximately 8:15 Shannon and Jason left. Shannon and Jason left. Shannon gave Jason a ride to school gave Jason a ride to school and then went to work.”and then went to work.”

““turned on TV in the living room to turned on TV in the living room to watch the morning news”watch the morning news”

““watched the news”watched the news” ““watched TV for a while”watched TV for a while” ““watched the sports page”watched the sports page” ““watched the early news”watched the early news” ““watched TV until about 2 am”watched TV until about 2 am”

““Read the statement Read the statement literally.literally.

Every word is Every word is important.”important.”

““Woke up 6 or so am. Took a Woke up 6 or so am. Took a bath, ate breakfast. I threw a bath, ate breakfast. I threw a Hawaiian punch canHawaiian punch can in our in our recycle bin, then I got dressed. recycle bin, then I got dressed. Went in and said ‘bye’ to Betsy. Went in and said ‘bye’ to Betsy. That was about 6:45 or so. I That was about 6:45 or so. I started to leave but remembered started to leave but remembered my satchel. Got it and took Cody my satchel. Got it and took Cody our dog to vet care. Went from our dog to vet care. Went from there to Sutter Presbyterian there to Sutter Presbyterian Church, made a phone call and Church, made a phone call and wrote two letters. Left there wrote two letters. Left there about 8:45 to pick up Betsy for about 8:45 to pick up Betsy for her interview. I found her on her interview. I found her on the bed. I screamed then went the bed. I screamed then went back and put her pants on her. back and put her pants on her. Then the police arrivedThen the police arrived.”.”

““Most people don’t lie.Most people don’t lie.

They just omit They just omit information.”information.”

““I am 67 years of age and I live I am 67 years of age and I live at 2 Laker Drive, Seattle, WA. at 2 Laker Drive, Seattle, WA. My wife, Sue Barton Jones and I My wife, Sue Barton Jones and I have missed cash and my wife have missed cash and my wife has missed other items during has missed other items during the past approximately three (3) the past approximately three (3) years but . . .”years but . . .”

““My wife got out of the car and as she My wife got out of the car and as she did so she fell on her right side did so she fell on her right side breaking her hip. After immediately breaking her hip. After immediately calling 911, I returned to where my calling 911, I returned to where my wife lay in the garage and removed wife lay in the garage and removed from her fingers two (2) diamond from her fingers two (2) diamond engagement rings and from her right engagement rings and from her right wrist I removed a yellow gold bracelet wrist I removed a yellow gold bracelet with one (1) diamond (.75 cts), six (6) with one (1) diamond (.75 cts), six (6) small diamonds, one (1) opal, and small diamonds, one (1) opal, and one (1) ruby diamond mount in one (1) ruby diamond mount in platinum. I immediately took all platinum. I immediately took all these pieces to a closet in my wife’s these pieces to a closet in my wife’s bathroom which has a double lock bathroom which has a double lock and is alarmed, unlocked the closet and is alarmed, unlocked the closet door, placed the aforementioned door, placed the aforementioned items . . .”items . . .”


Avinoam SapirAvinoam Sapir

Laboratory for Scientific InvestigationLaboratory for Scientific Investigation

Phone 602-279-3113Phone 602-279-3113

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5 statement analysis