CAUGHT ON TAPE Using Criminals’ Videos Against Them By Edward F. Davis, M.S., and Anthony J. Pinizzotto, Ph.D. Article from FBI Law Enforcement Bulletin In Sparta, Michigan, a 16-year-old high school dropout with a criminal record bludgeons a man to death, then cuts off his head. In Fort Lauderdale, Florida, five teenagers vandalize and burglarize eight homes and a school. During their escapades, they blow up a live sea trout in a microwave …showed first 75 words of 609 total…

…showed last 75 words of 609 total…on tape. Investigators must routinely ask offenders, victims, witnesses, and informants about the existence of video evidence in order to establish the probable cause required to seize this important evidence during the execution of a search warrant. Offenders who film their criminal acts often let their egos override their common sense. Yet, investigators who remain clear-headed can make sure that the next film these budding stars appear in is the 11 o’clock news, as they