Series 2, Episode 5 • What If It's Not Murder?

This episode opens up by looking closely at some of the evidence that was heard at court and considering in detail why the police formed the view that this was a murder planned to look like suicide. In order to examine this, the police officer that led the investigation is asked to explain this theory. We carefully consider the nature of all of Sana’s injuries, how they occurred and how they were recorded by the pathologist. In addition, we consider the new research that has been done worldwide about suicides by sharp force instruments.We ask again, did Mindy really turn up at the scene with a full forensic suit and with two pairs of gloves, which the police say she wore during the frenzied knife attack on Sana. Even the highly experienced forensic pathologist Professor Di Vella, did not believe that Mindy had carried out such an attack in a full forensic suit.All the evidence is pulled together to allow you, the listener, to decide if you agree that Mindy brought with her and wore a full forensic suit or if his is a fanciful theory dreamt up by the Police to try to explain the murder charge.We examine and consider what evidence the police had to prove that the knife, which was left at the scene alongside Sana, was actually owned by Mindy, who the police claim was highly skilled and very forensically aware.I question the senior investigating police officer over the issues regarding the homicide theory, as opposed to the suicide reports that originally came in.Mark: Could it be this, and the one thing I always come back to, is that when it looks like it’s something it probably is  Senior Investigating Police Officer: If it looks like a duck and it quacks then it probably is a duck  Mark: If it looks like suicide, the knife laying there beside them, it probably is suicide  Senior Investigating Police Officer: Well that’s your theoryWe consider reports from Muslim mental health professionals about the deep-rooted stigma around suicide in Islam and how Dr Hendin describes suicide as self-punishment.The reveal of this episode is the new evidence uncovered, with two reconstructions, that are available to view on out website, www.the-detective.co.uk, showing the significant failings of the initial pathologists’ evidence.And ultimately this episode ends the run of Series 2, that is for now, by asking you to consider all the evidence from both sides and decide one of the following: That Mindy is a very dangerous killer, or that Sana’s death was a tragic suicide leading to a Miscarriage of Justice. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Om Podcasten

Hosted by investigative journalist and former police detective Mark Williams-Thomas, this podcast explores possible miscarriages of justice in a variety of cases, ranging from terrorism, to murder, to missing people. Each episode asks, does the evidence collected by the police and presented in court stand up to scrutiny, or are people in jail for crimes they did not commit? You will be placed at the centre of these investigations where you, as the armchair detective, piece together the evidence and decide: are these convictions safe, or did our justice system get it wrong? Evidence files and photos can be viewed at www.the-detective.co.ukImportant Notes: The subject matter of our podcasts includes details of murders and sexual assaults on both adults and children and can be very distressing for some listeners.Our podcast includes recordings of real-time confrontations with suspects, victim interviews and phone calls that we gather during our live investigations; sometimes the audio quality of those segments is not ideal as we only get the one opportunity to record them.Listener Feedback; We read all feedback and have noted that some people find the introduction sections too long, thank you. Coming from a TV production background we are used to making these 'pre-title' sequences, which we now know do not work on the podcast platform. These intro's will no longer be used starting with the upcoming Lee Boxell episodes. When we get some spare time they will also be removed or shortened on the already published series'. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.