Cold Cases & the LawParalegal Division Annual CLE Seminar

2019 Work Life BalanceJune 21, 2019

WHO WE ARE

• Founders: Karra Porter (attorney)Jason K. Jensen (private investigator) Tom Harvey (newspaper reporter)

• Volunteers

• 501(c)(3)

WHY WE EXIST

• Rosie Tapia • 300+ Utah cases• 40,000+ U.S. cases

WHAT WE DO

• Rosie’s Law: Cold Case Database • Open File laws?

24/7 Tip Line

•385-CLUE-313

• Spanish language line(status immaterial)

Factors in re-opening

cases

Public/family theories as to why unsolved

• Police don’t care (because not-Elizabeth Smart or Susan Powell/drug user/gay, etc.)

• Police are covering up• Police did it• Police couldn’t find suspects

Families

• Locate• Photographs • Communication• Reassurances

Research/Investigation

• Cadaver dogs

• Bullet trajectory • Bullet / firearms

evaluation

• Basement Body Search

• Newspaper/media

WHAT WE WILL SOON BE DOING

Non-profit DNA testing

Legal issues in cold cases

Records

(Non-)retention requirements

GRAMA (public records)

Defamation

False light

Rewards

FOURTH AMENDMENT(search & seizure)

Private vs. government

Right to fair trial

Trespass / searches

Citizen’s Grand Jury

DNA issues

• DNA testing/privacy• The Gedmatch controversy• Challenging DNA evidence• Novel methods