Opinion ID: 1842987
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Weaknesses and Contradictions

Text: Although the evidence was sufficient to support the guilty verdicts, there were weak points in the prosecution's case. There was no physical evidence linking Talbot to the crimes, the identification testimony could be questioned on several grounds, the modus operandi fit two other offenses which Talbot definitely did not commit, Talbot's skin complexion and hair condition were markedly different from that of Mrs. Smith's assailant, and Talbot had a partially corroborated alibi for the morning of the crime. The law enforcement officers apparently terminated their investigation after obtaining the lineup identification. They did not attempt to search Talbot's home or his automobile for physical evidence. The prosecution's case rested exclusively upon the testimony of the identification witnesses. The prosecution witnesses' identification of Talbot as the offender at trial could have been influenced by several factors. Mrs. Smith's positive identification of him at trial followed her much more tentative selection at the lineup. Her lineup identification may have been influenced more by the composite picture she constructed with a police officer than her independent recollection. Mr. D. A. Cole's courtroom identification followed his clothing store encounter, which was probably influenced greatly by his previous inspection of Mrs. Smith's composite drawing. Mr. Smith could have been swayed by his wife's lineup selection of Talbot in his presence. Mrs. Griffin's dramatic courtroom identification of Talbot as the culprit is subject to question on the grounds discussed later in connection with the newly discovered evidence. At trial the perpetrator was described by all of the state's witnesses as having extremely light colored skin. Mrs. Griffin and Mr. and Mrs. Smith commented that the offender had a very fair complexion and that he appeared not to have worked outside in the sun. The defense, however, presented evidence which established that Talbot's skin was deeply tanned on the date of the offenses. After his spring semester at the University of Southeastern Louisiana, Talbot had been employed as a highway construction worker for several weeks immediately preceding that day. He became very darkly tanned during this period, according to the testimony of several co-workers, friends and relatives. Further, two photographs of Talbot taken at a veterinarian's office on the day of the offenses showed that his skin was deeply tanned. Also, the state's witnesses consistently stated that the assailant had oil in his hair and moustache. Numerous defense witnesses testified, however, that Talbot did not use oil in his hair. The State presented evidence that two rapes had been committed in or around the Hammond area by an unidentified person, still at large, who employed a modus operandi very similar to that used in this case. After observing Talbot, the victims of these rapes testified that he was not the person who attacked them. Composite drawings developed in the two rape cases and those prepared in the investigation of the present case were introduced into evidence. Although the issue is subject to argument, and was contested vigorously at trial, the facial characteristics of the persons depicted in all of the drawings are similar. Talbot took the stand in his defense and testified that on the night before the offense he spent the night with a young woman friend in her house trailer and did not leave until 9:30 the next morning. The friend testified, however, that she was unaware whether he left her trailer during the time of the offenses because they had slept in separate rooms. Nevertheless, she testified that she awakened at 8:00 or 9:00 a. m. and saw Talbot asleep in the other room. In a prior statement to police, however, she had said that she awakened at 4:00 a. m., saw Talbot there and went back to sleep. Talbot testified that he at first concealed from the deputies his whereabouts on the night before the Smith crimes because he did not want his mother to know that he slept at his girlfriend's trailer.