[www.timesunion.com]

This case had everything you might expect from 1986. Low burns, holes in the floor, fire spread too rapidly, and large shiny alligators. It was also considered significant that firefighters on a truck 2 blocks away on a windless night did not smell the fire 10-15 minutes before it was called in. Poor to non existent documentation also happened. Samples were negative. The case hinged largely on a snitch who had 28 burglaries reduced to one count of trespassing.

The late Dr. Gerald Hurst and Jason Karazinski both supplied affidavits. There was an evidentiary hearing scheduled for Oct 2, but the prosecutors, who had wise counsel from the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control, decided at the last minute to drop their opposition to the motion for a new trial.

More details, including affidavits and photos of those big shiny alligators, can be found here:

[app.box.com]

John J. Lentini, CFI
Scientific Fire Analysis
Islamorada, FL
www.firescientist.com
scientific.fire@yahoo.com