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Case Study - Brenton Butler

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The Case
On the morning of May 7th, 2000 the murder of Mary Ann Stephens occurred. She was a tourist to Jacksonville, Florida along with her husband. The two were staying at the Ramada Inn Hotel and had just came from breakfast when they were approached by a young black man who held them at gunpoint, took Mrs. Stephens' purse then proceeded to shoot her between the eyes. When the police first arrived, the elderly woman's body was several inches away from the path on which her and her husband were walking along to get back to their room. Her body was strewn across the grass, covered in blood with the bullet and it's wound being clearly visible to the naked eye. This case became controversial and it is believed that there was racial …show more content…

Brenton Butler
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What about the Forensic Investigation...?
Like the police investigation, there was a lack of forensic involvement in this case as well. Brenton Butler was solely charged based on the fact that, an eye witness, Mr. Stephens identified Brenton as the murderer. Many will declare this case to be racial discrimination and racial profiling, due to the fact that Brenton was a black male like the murderer. Brenton just happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. In the forensic investigation, after finding Mrs. Stephens' stolen purse in a garbage container a mile away from the murder, they should have tested the purse for DNA and finger prints. If they had done this, they would have seen that Brenton Butler's finger prints were in fact not to be found on the purse, instead they would have those of another man and Butler would have been instantly proven innocent.

Key people involved in the case

Brenton Butler – the accused
Officer Darnell – police officer, one of the officer's that arrested and questioned Butler
Officer Williams – police officer, the second officer that arrested and questioned Brenton
Detective Glover – detective and son of the sheriff, Butler was passed on to Glover to give him a confession, Glover allegedly beat Brenton in the woods and threatened him and forced him into signing a written confession
Pat McGuiness – lawyer, he was the leading lawyer representing Brenton, after the trial he did more

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