Mistrial declared in Tenn. medical examiner case

[deminks]

A mistrial was declared this afternoon in the trial of Dr. O. C. Smith, a former medical examiner in Memphis. I have been following this case for three years. He was found bound in barbed wire with a bomb glued to his chest outside of his office. The ATF eventually charged him with lying to federal agents and doing the deed to himself (???).

Here is today's link:

http://www.miami.com/mld/miamiherald/news/breaking_news/11023810.htm?1c

This case is interesting because this is the same ME who handled the John C. Wiley case (the scientist who was "blown off a bridge in Memphis by a passing truck") and the Katherine Smith case (was charged with supplying fake ID's to potential terrorists and then found burned in her car). None of these things may be connected. The case on its own merits is interesting. No word yet on if the government will retry.

The government's case was strange. They hand an agent recreate the pose that they found the doctor (bolted to the door), but he did not tie barbed wire around himself. The expert was someone who had been involved in the Andrea Yates case reversal of her verdict. The barbed wire did not match the barbed wire on the ME's farm. He had an interesting military career as well - might have been special ops, but not clear or well documented.

Here is a link to the coverage of the trial. Interesting reading.

http://www.wreg.com/Global/category.asp?C=62406