Summary
“The Evidence: The Truth Will Defend Me” shows how the introduction of DNA helped free Levon Brooks and Kennedy Brewer.
Episode 2 is really the downfall of bite mark analysis, with Dr Michael West blabbering on about how his work is effective, while his opposite number, Dr Souviron, smokes him. But the subject matter of The Innocence Files Episode 2, “The Evidence: The Truth Will Defend Me,” is how the introduction of DNA and forensic science was the real start of the Innocence Project.
The Netflix series confirms that Kennedy Brewer was not in the DNA of the semen when tested in 2001. It wasn’t that simple of course, with Forrest Allgood determined to keep the man in jail — “He may not have raped her, but he could have killed her”. Episode 2 sees Forrest Allgood pushing for a new trial, so the Innocence Project formally represents Kennedy.
Episode 2 sees the Innocence Project revisit the crime scene, evaluating how easy it would have been to enter through the window and grab Christine Jackson. They also look into the bitemarks — Christine was thrown into a pond nearby, which was full of crawfish.
The Innocence Project tested a stillborn pig amongst live crawfish, and the bites produced are oddly similar. Of course, reopening the investigation brought the Innocence Project to other similar crimes, which brought them to Levon Brooks.
The crime Levon was accused of was almost identical.
The more the Innocence Project dug, the easier it became to prove that Levon Brooks and Kennedy Brewer did not commit the crimes. We learn that Courtney’s sister’s questioning was coerced by Uncle Bunky; the young sister was saying the most outlandish statements that did not make sense.
We also learn that another suspect, Justin Johnson, was dismissed even though he committed home invasions and attempted sexual assaults in the same community, but because they focused on the teeth marks, he was excluded from the process.
When the Innocence Project re-ran the evidence with new forensic techniques, they found that convicted felon Justin Johnson matched all the DNA, and Kennedy Brewer matched none. Two confessions later, Kennedy Brewer and Levon Brooks are freed in a special hearing. And what an emotional hearing this is — such special, yet sad, archive footage. These men will never get their years back.
Both men are freed, but this marked the end of teeth analysis and the beginning of the Innocence Project, which, following this case, uncovered many more instances of misused forensic evidence.
Episode 2 highlighted a few more things:
- Forrest Allgood felt extremely dismayed that the men turned out to be innocent; he claims the system failed, yet it also worked.
- Dr Michael West stands by his testimony and now blabbers on about conspiracies, claiming the Innocence Project was out to hurt him because they felt he was racist. Dr Michael West, I bet you will read this because you seem obsessed — get a grip.
- Justin Johnson could have been mentally ill — he says the voices in his head told him to hurt both girls. But, interestingly, he strongly denies biting the girls — the Innocence Project states the bite marks were made up to make a case against both men.
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