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From: Jasper
Date: 3/1/02
Time: 5:23:06 PM
Charlie,
Let me try this another way…
What may seem relevant to a non-expert in regard to taking measurements from photographs is not necessarily relevant to an expert (presumably the people reading the textbook). The only thing that matters to an expert is a known length to measure against. It doesn't matter what the length is as long as it doesn't change. You can plug in any number you want and the methodology doesn't change; it only sounds more impressive (who do you think the engineers I mentioned were talking to?) to give an odd number.
In automotive design, for example, we make measurements all the time where we simply do not know or care about the numbers. All we need to know in these instances is that A is equal to B. You can make these kinds of measurements with an index card and a pencil or simply by superimposing the standard length onto the length you're trying to math. The key is to use the same standard each time. That's what a ruler does in a way that anyone who knows what it is can use for any straight line measurement. You lay the ruler against the thing you want to measure from end to end and whatever it says, that's it.
A ruler doesn't change. Six inches is always six inches. Two six inch rulers made to but up against each other always equals 12 inches. The two six inch rulers butted together next to the shoeprint on page 15 of Fuhrman book in the left-hand frame match the shoeprint. He didn't fudge that photo because he couldn't have if he'd wanted to. Besides, there was no reason for him to want to. Apart from the irregularities in the imprint because of the irregularities in the cement tile, it was perfect.
Now this is where Kari's comments about the Reeboks vs. the Nikes are critical. It matters very much what kind of shoe the police matched against the shoeprints because of all the variations is shoe sizes that you talked about. Once Bodziak found a shoe that he could match to both the tread pattern and the size of the shoeprint in the photo, the police needed a shoe in the same size with the same inside and outside characteristics. The Reeboks matched.
In another post I said why I thought Fuhrman called the high top Lorenzos loafers. Let me add to that the seer confusion factor that all of his "little mistakes" added to the case plus the fact that Vannatter and Lange also misidentified the Lorenzos as loafers.
One other thing that stuck me about Fuhrman's description of the shoes is that it fits in with his way of telegraphing what was going to happen next. O.J. did wear an expensive pair of Italian loafers on the night of the murders. He wore them to the airport. --Jasper