Professional Opinion From Veteran FBI Agent Steve Moore

Click on the links below to read other articles by Steve Moore.

Investigation of Violent Crimes is My Life; Not a Hobby

The Mountain of Missing Evidence

Evidence Collection

The Luminol Lies

The Interrogation That Never Was

Steve Moore has written five articles in regard to this case;

Investigation of Violent Crimes is My Life; Not a Hobby

The Mountain of Missing Evidence

Evidence Collection

The Luminol Lies

The Interrogation That Never Was

MY OWN PERSONAL “MOTIVATION DOCUMENT”

Mine, however, will be based on truth.

I have no axe to grind with the Italian legal system. There are things I prefer about their system, and things I prefer about our system. Generally, they are blessed with modern, experienced law enforcement.

In my career, I have worked closely with the Indonesian National Police (INP), the Pakistan Rangers, the Sindh Police (Karachi, Pakistan), the National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) of the Philippines, the Philippine National Police (PNP), the Royal Bahamas Police Force (RBP) and various police agencies in Greece, Thailand, and other countries. I have lectured on investigative techniques and terrorism at the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) in Bangkok, the Pacific Training Institute in Angeles City, Philippines and Honolulu, and terrorism conferences throughout the US and other countries. I have taught officers from such diverse countries as the People’s Republic of China, Bermuda, Brunei, Taiwan, Malaysia and Sri Lanka. I also served as a (term) Legal Attaché at a U.S. Consulate overseas. I do not look down at foreign police forces. I appreciate the differences in our approaches, but what is never different between our agencies is the reliance on logic, reason and credible evidence.

What happened in Perugia, I believe, is an anomaly, but it is not endemic to Italy. A similar case recently occurred in the United States. In March, 2006, a black female college student working as an exotic dancer accused three white Duke University Lacrosse Team members of raping her at a party. Prosecutor Mike Nifong immediately went public and charged three members of the team for forcible rape. He then began collecting DNA and other evidence.

The behavior of the three players, including E-mails between them raised suspicion, as they included allusions to violence and sex. Their behavior made the prosecutor believe they were guilty. They were pilloried in the media and publicly arrested. During the subsequent investigation, however, Nifong was found to be manipulating DNA results and withholding evidence from the defense teams. He even alleged that the attack was race-related. However, by April, 2007, it was apparent that no rape had occurred, and that the credibility of the witness was near zero. Nifong had grossly misused his office and attempted to frame the players in order to further his career. Charges against the players were dropped, and Nifong was charged with ethics violations. He was disbarred in June 2007 for “dishonesty, fraud, deceit and misrepresentation.” He was also found guilty of criminal contempt and served one day in jail.

As I have explained before, I was initially biased with regard to the Kercher murder. I believed that Amanda Knox was guilty, as I had no reason not to trust the authorities in Perugia. I’m the kind of guy that threw things at my TV when O.J. Simpson was acquitted after he murdered two people. To put it lightly, I am about the last person to go to bat for an accused person. It was only after researching the case (at no one’s behest) that I discovered that Amanda was innocent, and that the prosecutors have more motive to convict Amanda Knox than Amanda Knox had to murder Meredith Kercher.

I have no desire to have a ‘cause’, and certainly no desire for anything other than anonymity, even obscurity. But I could not see this injustice and do nothing, any more than a doctor could see a person collapse and fail to render assistance, or a fireman hear the cries of children inside a burning house and stand idly by. Current FBI Agents are prohibited from expressing their opinions on this case, but I have recently retired. The investigation and prosecution of crime is what I know. I would be negligent and criminally cold-hearted if I did not stand up and shout that an injustice had occurred.

I have spent years participating in prosecutions; two years on one death-penalty trial alone. There are several people who will die in prison, in part because of investigations that I have conducted and testified to. I have received four awards from the United States Attorney’s Office for excellence in investigation. I was nominated in 2002 for the FBI’s top award for Terrorism Investigations. I am educated in the art of evaluating evidence and testimony. To put it bluntly, I know “shit from Shinola”.

I will not accept a dime for anything I do on this case. When Amanda Knox goes home to her family, you will never hear from me again. It is up to the reader whether they want to put more faith in my experience, training and motives, or the words of tabloid “journalists” who make their living from the tragedy of others. Some of these writers have never previously reported on anything with more gravitas than dining and travel, but bill themselves as “experts” on this case, simply because they sat through it. I could sit through a hundred symphonies and still not be able to play violin or read music.

(My credentials and supporting documents are available for review by reputable and credentialed journalists).