Case of the Shapely Shadow by Gardner Erle Stanley

Author:Gardner, Erle Stanley [Gardner, Erle Stanley]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 1960-08-22T17:38:57+00:00

“I take it,” Mason said to the witness, “that in making all of these casts and moulages and models you used the greatest care to see that there was no error in measurement?”

“That is true,” the witness said.

“When the tires were on the ground, there was a pressure of several hundred pounds on each wheel?” Mason asked.

“That is correct.”

“And when you made the models of the tires, this pressure was removed from the tires?”

“Well . . . yes.”

“Then even if the defendant’s tires did make those tracks, the models of the tires should not fit into the moulage of the tracks because of the absence of this pressure.”

“I tried to compensate for that.”

“How did you compensate for it?”

“I partially deflated the tires and put sufficient pressure on them to duplicate the flattening out that would have taken place if the weight of the car had been on the tires.”

“What standard did you use? How did you determine what number of pounds pressure?”

“I used my judgment.”

“In other words,” Mason said, “you deflated the tires and then you put just sufficient pressure on the tire in the process of duplicating it so that the treads would be sure to fit into these tracks.”

“That is not fair,” the witness said, “nor is it an accurate statement of what I did.”

“But you did take this factor into consideration?” Mason asked.

“Yes.”

“And used your judgment as to how much this factor should influence the resulting models and moulages?”

“In a way, yes.”

“Thank you,” Mason said. “That’s all.”

“Just a moment,” Ruskin said, “I have a question on redirect. Is there anything in the deflation of these tires, or the method which you used, which would alter in any way the tread of the tires?”

“Nothing.”

“That’s all,” Ruskin said.

“I have a question on recross-examination. I will ask the witness if the things he did, did not change the dimensions of the tire.”

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