Henry Lee, the famed forensic scientist who helped bring modern crime scene investigation into the public spotlight through his involvement in high-profile cases like the O.J. Simpson murder trial, has died. He was 87.
FILE – In this Aug. 4, 2011 photo, Dr. Henry Lee poses for a photograph at the Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science, on the campus of the University of New Haven in New Haven, Conn. FILE – Defense witness forensic scientist Henry Lee uses a pointer as he describes how blood stains were transferred from evidence items to the paper bags they were carried in during the O.
J. Simpson double-murder trial, Aug. 25, 1995, in Los Angeles. FILE – Forensic scientist Dr. Henry Lee faces reporters regarding the death penalty system at the Statehouse in Boston, May 3, 2004. FILE – Henry C. Lee, head of the Connecticut State Forensic Laboratory examines a DNA profile that is now included in a state database computer system in Meriden, Conn., Jan. 28, 1997. FILE – Forensic scientist Henry Lee, left, reviews photographs of evidence as prosecutor Alan Jackson waits during the murder trial of music producer Phil Spector, May 16, 2007, in Los Angeles. FILE – In this Aug. 4, 2011 photo, Dr. Henry Lee poses for a photograph at the Henry C. Lee Institute of Forensic Science, on the campus of the University of New Haven in New Haven, Conn. Henry Lee, the famed forensic scientist who helped bring modern crime scene investigation into the public spotlight through his involvement in high-profile cases like the O.J. Simpson murder trial, has died. He was 87. Lee “passed away peacefully” Friday at his home in Henderson, Nevada, following a brief illness, according to a statement from his family and the University of New Haven, where he taught for more than 50 years. Lee rose to fame after his testimony in Simpson’s 1995 trial, in which he questioned the handling of blood evidence. He also served as a consultant in other well known investigations, including the 1996 slaying of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey in Colorado; the 2004 murder trial of Scott Peterson, who was accused of killing his pregnant wife, Laci; and the 2007 murder trial of record producer Phil Spector.finding him liable for fabricating evidence in a 1985 murder case that sent two Connecticut men to prison for decades. Born in China, the 11th of 13 children, Lee and his family moved to Taiwan where were he earned a degree in police administration and became a police officer and later a captain. He and his late wife moved to the U.S. in 1964, where he earned advanced degrees in forensic science and biochemistry. He first gained prominence for his work in Connecticut investigating the 1986 disappearance of flight attendant Helle Crafts — using tiny fragments of bone, a thumb tip, a tooth crown and pieces of hair found near her home to help authorities make the case that Craft’s husband had cut up her body and disposed of it in a wood chipper. Prosecutors were able to win a conviction despite having no body. “Sometimes they compare me to Sherlock Holmes or Charlie Chan. Those are just fictional characters,″ Lee was quoted as saying in a 2000 article, as he stepped down as commissioner of the Connecticut State Police. “In real life, the scientists, detectives and public have to work together. … We don’t get commercial breaks.”based on testimony about what Lee said at the time were bloodstains on a towel. Tests done after the trial, when the men were appealing their convictions, showed the stains were not blood., denying that he fabricated evidence and suggesting traces of blood may have degraded in the 20 years between the crime and when experts for the defense tested the towel. Lee ultimately spent much of his career based in Connecticut, including as head of the state’s forensic laboratory. At the University of New Haven, he helped to build its forensic science program from a single fingerprint kit into a multidisciplinary academic department. Lee later helped found a forensics institute in his name at the school to train and provide case consultation to forensic and criminal justice professionals. “Dr. Lee was a remarkable individual,” University of New Haven President Jens Frederiksen said in a statement. “His contributions to our University as well as forensic science and law enforcement are extraordinary and unmatched. His legacy lives on in the generations of students and law enforcement professionals he impacted throughout his brilliant career.” The author or co-author of more than 40 books, Lee was finalizing a book on missing-persons investigations in his final days, the university’s statement said. It’s expected to still be released.What to know about the planned Saturday, March 28 ‘No Kings’ protests in Southern CaliforniaDodger Stadium debuts new food items and selfie spots this season‘No Kings’ turnout in Southern California will help smash records around the nation today, organizers sayLA Metro board chooses K Line northern extension route, connecting South Bay to Hollywood
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Forensic scientist Henry Lee, known for OJ Simpson trial, dies at 87Forensic scientist Henry Lee, known for helping to bring modern crime scene work in the spotlight, has died at 87. Lee died Friday at his home in Henderson, Nevada, after a brief illness, according to a statement from his family and the University of New Haven in Connecticut, where he taught for more than 50 years.
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