Soledad O'Brien

He told the jury he didn't see his friend on the job either. This anecdote didn't make Ray a murderer, but the prosecution was painting a picture for the jury. They were saying Ray was an unreliable man, shifty, someone who didn't keep his word, someone whose own friend would testify against him. We still don't know why Robert Woolbright did that.

He told the jury he didn't see his friend on the job either. This anecdote didn't make Ray a murderer, but the prosecution was painting a picture for the jury. They were saying Ray was an unreliable man, shifty, someone who didn't keep his word, someone whose own friend would testify against him. We still don't know why Robert Woolbright did that.

Hantman said all of these testimonies were a textbook case of circumstantial evidence. In other words, he was asking the jury to connect the dots. You don't need to look far. The murderer is in plain sight. Right here, in the blue suit, in front of you. Sounds strange to say it, but Dovey and Hantman saw eye to eye on one thing. There was no direct evidence linking Ray to the crime.

Hantman said all of these testimonies were a textbook case of circumstantial evidence. In other words, he was asking the jury to connect the dots. You don't need to look far. The murderer is in plain sight. Right here, in the blue suit, in front of you. Sounds strange to say it, but Dovey and Hantman saw eye to eye on one thing. There was no direct evidence linking Ray to the crime.

Without it, Hantman had to try for a conviction in a roundabout way. He portrayed Ray as a killer and a liar who was found near Mary's body and hoped the jurors would convict him of murder without direct evidence. Dovey had other plans. At every turn, she was going to point out the lack of evidence that tied Ray to Mary's death. Take the gun, for example. Police never found the murder weapon.

Without it, Hantman had to try for a conviction in a roundabout way. He portrayed Ray as a killer and a liar who was found near Mary's body and hoped the jurors would convict him of murder without direct evidence. Dovey had other plans. At every turn, she was going to point out the lack of evidence that tied Ray to Mary's death. Take the gun, for example. Police never found the murder weapon.

After the shooting, 40 police officers combed through 1,500 feet of dirt. The park police even drained the canal, hoping to find a .38-caliber Smith & Wesson laying at the bottom of that murky water. But they didn't, and they certainly never found a pistol on Ray. The government worked hard to find it, and still, nothing. Dovey knew there was no real evidence connecting Ray to the crime.

After the shooting, 40 police officers combed through 1,500 feet of dirt. The park police even drained the canal, hoping to find a .38-caliber Smith & Wesson laying at the bottom of that murky water. But they didn't, and they certainly never found a pistol on Ray. The government worked hard to find it, and still, nothing. Dovey knew there was no real evidence connecting Ray to the crime.

She just needed to convince the jury of that, too.

She just needed to convince the jury of that, too.

To build their case, the prosecution brought out technical experts. First, an FBI hair and fiber expert testified. The man, Paul Stombaugh, compared a hair taken from Crump's head with hairs found near the scene of the crime. He told the jury they matched. He said there were no dissimilar characteristics.

To build their case, the prosecution brought out technical experts. First, an FBI hair and fiber expert testified. The man, Paul Stombaugh, compared a hair taken from Crump's head with hairs found near the scene of the crime. He told the jury they matched. He said there were no dissimilar characteristics.

But this was a time before DNA testing, so all the FBI expert could say, with that weird phrase, was that the hair on the jacket and cap looked like it could be Ray's hair. There was no way of knowing if the strands of hair were genetically identical. not exactly science. If Ray were tried today, that alone could have changed the course of the trial.

But this was a time before DNA testing, so all the FBI expert could say, with that weird phrase, was that the hair on the jacket and cap looked like it could be Ray's hair. There was no way of knowing if the strands of hair were genetically identical. not exactly science. If Ray were tried today, that alone could have changed the course of the trial.

Under cross-examination, Dovey forced him to admit what was actually true, that hair cannot positively be traced to a particular source. Stambaugh sat back down. Up next was another FBI figure, this time a gunpowder expert named Warren Johnson. He said the gunpowder residue found on Mary's blouse and sweater showed the murderer put a gun up to Mary's body, or very, very near contact.

Under cross-examination, Dovey forced him to admit what was actually true, that hair cannot positively be traced to a particular source. Stambaugh sat back down. Up next was another FBI figure, this time a gunpowder expert named Warren Johnson. He said the gunpowder residue found on Mary's blouse and sweater showed the murderer put a gun up to Mary's body, or very, very near contact.

But at the same time, no gunpowder compounds were found on the jacket and cap that were supposedly Ray's. Hantman argued it was because Ray was wet when the police found him. He suggested Ray had deliberately fallen into the water to clean himself off. Then the prosecution brought out their next bit of evidence. And boy, was it big. Literally.

But at the same time, no gunpowder compounds were found on the jacket and cap that were supposedly Ray's. Hantman argued it was because Ray was wet when the police found him. He suggested Ray had deliberately fallen into the water to clean himself off. Then the prosecution brought out their next bit of evidence. And boy, was it big. Literally.

The Evening Star said it was 30 feet long. And some records say the map was as large as 55 feet wide. Point is, this map was hard to miss. It's pretty likely the prosecution was resting a large part of their case on the map. Hantman even wanted to keep the map up during the trial. But Judge Corcoran thought it could sway the jury.

The Evening Star said it was 30 feet long. And some records say the map was as large as 55 feet wide. Point is, this map was hard to miss. It's pretty likely the prosecution was resting a large part of their case on the map. Hantman even wanted to keep the map up during the trial. But Judge Corcoran thought it could sway the jury.