Dave Thompson

Burke Ramsey: A Lesson in Behavior Interpretation

If you have turned on your TV in the last couple of weeks or logged in to any form of social media, you would have seen that there are several “experts” suggesting different theories of what happened twenty years ago in the case of JonBenét Ramsey. There are a variety of opportunities for analysts to discuss their expertise including statement analysis of the ransom note, forensic evidence, psychological profiles...

You think that means what? Debating Body Language

If you are like me, it is getting more and more difficult to watch anything related to the current political affairs in the United States. However, it is a crucial election and a time when all of us want to be well informed of where we are and how we can make an impact. Observing candidates and their body language combined with their tone and choice of words is,...

Take 2: Lessons Learned in the Interview Room

We’re human and we all make mistakes.  It’s inevitable.  At some point in your investigative career you’ll find yourself making a mistake during the interview process.  Many times the person you are interviewing will be unaware of the mistake, but it’s always a good idea to keep a mental record of your “interview bloopers” to prepare you for the occasional situation that will require you to recover and overcome...

Netflix’s Making a Murderer: Involuntary Confession — An Interrogator’s Perspective

The scales of justice are tilting in the case of Brendan Dassey from the Netflix Documentary “Making a Murderer” and the real-life horror of a false confession and possible wrongful conviction of the young man. Federal Judge William Duffin, found Dassey’s confession “involuntary” and detailed his decision by stating the following: “…the state courts unreasonably found that the investigators never made Dassey any promises during the March 1, 2006...

Identifying Intent: An Auditors Guide to the Truth

Another day, another audit. The routines of compliance or auditing professionals may seem very rigid, full of checks and balances, checkmarks and scores; sometimes even the announcement that an auditor is onsite will cause a location or department to completely derail from their current focus and scramble to satisfy all of their required tasks to remain compliant. However, there is more to compliance than pass or fail and those...