Mark Redwine Trial Day 11 - Direct, Carren Corcoran Gummin - Human Remains Det Expert

TL;DR

In this courtroom testimony, a witness, Ms. Gummig, discusses her work with a human remains detection dog named Molly. They discuss the training and experience of Molly, as well as her ability to locate and indicate the presence of human remains in various locations.

Transcript

all right we can be seated just come in come on up here it's hard not to call you corcoran after all this time you're still under oath so ms gumming we ended with people's exhibit 478 and that was admitted into evidence i'll let the jury look at that afterwards but that essentially is a compilation of all the certifications correct six eight uh yea... Read More

Key Insights

• 👨‍🔬 Molly, the human remains detection dog, has been successful in assisting in the recovery of human bodies in various locations, including water searches and search and rescue operations.
• ⛑️ The witness emphasizes the importance of avoiding cueing to ensure the accuracy of Molly's indications.
• ❓ Molly is capable of indicating the presence of human remains even if the remains have been removed.
• 👻 Residual odor from human remains can remain for an extended period of time, allowing canines like Molly to detect it.
• 🧑 Molly's training and experience make her a valuable tool in forensic investigations and locating missing persons.
• 💦 The witness's general practice is to reward Molly's work rather than the results, creating an honest and reliable working relationship.

Questions & Answers

Q: How many human remains has Molly assisted in recovering?

Molly has assisted in the recovery of approximately 14 or 15 human bodies in various cases, including water searches and search and rescue operations.

Q: Can Molly indicate the presence of human remains even if the remains have been removed?

Yes, Molly is trained to detect the odor of human remains, whether or not the remains are still present. She has indicated the presence of odor even in cases where the bodies had been removed.

Q: How does Molly alert to the presence of human remains?

Molly provides a trained final response, such as a bark or a sit, to indicate that she has detected the odor of human remains.

Q: Can residual odor from human remains remain for an extended period of time?

Yes, there have been studies that suggest residual odor can remain for over a year, and Molly has indicated the presence of human remains several years after the bodies had been removed.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• Ms. Gummig testifies about Molly's certifications and her ability to detect the odor of human remains in various situations.

• Molly has successfully assisted in the recovery of human bodies in water searches, search and rescue operations, and in locating buried remains.

• The witness also discusses the importance of avoiding cueing and how she rewards the dog's work rather than the results.