Criminal Justice

Nickell, J. (2011). The Atlanta Child Murders: Evidence vs. Psychics - CSI. Retrieved September 12, 2016, from http://www.csicop.org/sb/show/the_atlanta_child_murders_evidence_vs._psychics

The author of the article Joe Nickel is a skeptical writer who critics the manner in which it was purported that psychics were used to collect evidence for the case. He argues that the conviction of suspect was predominantly done with the use of actual and admissible evidence. The author quotes the use of psychics to come up with a possible facial appearance of the suspect was not used in the case. The article concludes by stating that psychics were of no help in determining the serial killer. The article can be applied in silencing critics that the actual murders were not found.

Biography.com Editors. (2015). Wayne Williams Biography. Retrieved September 12, 2016, from http://www.biography.com/people/wayne-williams-14424594#profile

The authors of the article Biography.com Editors detail the life history of Wayne Williams much of which is centered in the murders he committed. The article details how fibers that were found on a victim’s dead body resemble those that were found inside his car and home. It article states that Williams was convicted as a result of convincing circumstantial and DNA evidence. The article concludes by stating that he was involved in 20 of 29 reported murders that were being investigated through DNA sequencing of hair on the victims that matched his own in a 98% certainty. From the article, hairs can be applied in forensic science to determine the identity of a person.

Baldwin, J. (1985). The Evidence of Things Not Seen: Reissued Edition. Macmillan.

James Baldwin, an author who studied the Atlanta child murders and an author of the detailed occurrence of the murder on Playboy magazine. The author was predominantly focused on the issue of race during the proceedings of the investigation and the hearings of the case against Wayne Williams. From his personal analysis, the author does not think the suspect is innocent. The author states that the Williams was guilty, but not guilty of all twenty-eight murders. He mentions the media, and politics of race and class as fundamental issues in the analysis of the murders. Contribution from the literature can be used to look into some of the murder that Williams could not have been guilty of.

Keppel, R. (2005). The Riverman: Ted Bundy and I Hunt for the Green River Killer

This book is written by author Robert Keppel who analyses the ethical issues pertaining the analysis of Williams’s case evidence. The book was predominantly focused on Ted Bundy serial murders however it gives much dedication to Wayne Williams. The author gives a completely different scenario for Williams’s case. He also argues that his arrest and conviction was a witch hunt by a member of the government. The author states that due process was not followed in the handling of the case and that some other government official gave a blind eye to the case. Keppel concludes by citing documented evidence from the police and some government officials.

Blanco, J. I. (2013). Wayne Williams | Murderpedia, the encyclopedia of murderers. Retrieved September 12, 2016, from http://murderpedia.org/male.W/w/williams-wayne.htm

The author of the article Juan Blanc details scientific techniques that were used in the analysis of Williams’s case evidence. Williams became the chief suspect in a murder case after his car was found to be the only car to have stopped at the scene of a loud water splash by a team of officers staking out in the scene. Police theorized that Williams had killed the victim and threw the body into the river. The article concluded by stating that police also discovered the suspect had scratches on his face and arms that were believed to be of his victims.

Hickey, E. (2013). Serial Murderers and Their Victims. Retrieved September 12, 2016, from https://www.cengagebrain.com.mx/content/9781285283807.pdf

The author of the book Erick Hickey examines scientific techniques that were used in processing evidence that was found in Williams’s crime scene. Forensic science played a pivotal role in linking the suspect to his crimes. The suspect was convicted of only two murders, over 20 other murders were linked to him as a result of distinctive similarities in the methods of inflicting injury and death on the victims. The book concludes by stating that most serial killers have a pattern that is used to tie them to other murders. It also states that serial killers are victim selective as seen in how the victim killed persons of a particular age and race.

Nickell, J. (2010). Investigative Briefs: Atlanta Child Murders- Part I: Critical Thinking - Center for Inquiry. Retrieved September 12, 2016, from http://www.centerforinquiry.net/blogs/entry/atlanta_child_murders_part_i_critical_thinki ng/

The author of the article Joel Nickell analyzes legal issues that surround forensic testing in Wayne Williams’s case. The suspect’s legal defense team sought to discredit evidence from the fiber that was collected from the victims’ bodies, the suspects’ car and his home. The suspect’s defense lawyer argued that the fiber can be found in the homes and cars of numerous people. The article concludes by stating that the authors argued that the fiber was the strongest scientific link in the case and the 2% of hair strands found not to belong to Williams was an indication that there were other people involved in the murders.

Headley, B. (1985). The Atlanta Establishment and the Atlanta Tragedy. Phylon (1960-), 46(4), 333-340.

The author of this article is Bernard Headley from the journal Phylon. The author is an expert on the Atlanta child murders and has authored several texts on the issue. Headley argues ethical issues that pertain the analysis of the Wayne Williams case. He also believes that the stand taken by Atlanta’s white ruling class was purely for damage control and image preservation. The author states that there was bias in covering the murders. Headley concludes by stating that the depiction of the murders was greatly altered by the media, and a totally new perception was used to headline the murders.

Henson, M. (2007). The Atlanta Youth Murders and the Impact of the Media. University of North Carolina at Asheville. Retrieved September 12, 2016, from http://toto.lib.unca.edu/sr_papers/history_sr/srhistory_2007/henson_matt.pdf

The article by Henson examines scientific techniques that were used to examine the possible crime scenes where Williams may have committed the murders. The article gives accounts of the time, places, and location where police did stakeout in anticipation of a repeat murder by the perpetrator. It depicts how the Atlanta community was also involved in the search and recovery efforts of the missing youths and teenagers. The article ends by stating that after the arrest of Williams, the murders came to an end an indication that Williams was most probably involved in the murders. The article, however, states that not all of the murders should be attributed to Williams.

Keating, R., & Cooper, B. (2015). Atlanta Child Murders: SPIN’s 1986 Feature, ‘A Question Of Justice’ | SPIN. Retrieved September 12, 2016, from http://www.spin.com/featured/atlanta-child-murders-wayne-williams-1986-feature/

The authors of the article Keating and Cooper question whether there was justice for the victims of the murders and their families. The article examines ethical issues in the analysis of the case’s evidence. It quotes its sources as volumes of files from court proceeding and police reports. The article insists that there may have been facts that were covered up that would have linked the Klu Klux Clan family to one of the murders. The officials chose not to ignite a war based on race. The article concludes by stating the murder was a revenge killing meant to retaliate against a particular race.