'THIS IS NOT THE ZODIAC SPEAKING' BY BILL BRIERE

1/29/2018

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"From mid-November to mid-December of 2017, well over a million U.S. viewers tuned in for each of the five episodes of The Hunt for the Zodiac Killer. It’s likely that many more will see it before the inevitable second season is announced."
These are the opening lines of a comprehensive and thoughtful analysis of the Zodiac Killer docudrama, that aired on the History Channel from November 14th 2017 to December 12th 2017, authored by Bill Briere. It is an extremely well written body of work, encompassing all aspects of the chase to breathe new life into the Zodiac case, including the dogged groundwork of investigators Sal LaBarbera and Kenneth Mains, and the rather more sedentary pursuit of a team of codebreakers, working in harmony with their software sidekick Carmel.
There are plenty of fresh insights into the Karga Seven Pictures production, exploring the balance between fact and fiction in the near half a century cold case, that has left the audience somewhat divided in anticipation for the inevitable second series. Bill would like to receive your feedback on his thought provoking Linkedin article, so follow the link provided or click the image above. This is not the Zodiac speaking.

13 Comments

Rubislaw 32 link

1/29/2018 09:37:25 am

Bill Briere makes some interesting and pertinent points,and sets out to make clear,that his article does not set out to be a ''Witch hunt'',on individuals that played their part in this,let's be honest,work of fiction....with the odd ''fact'' thrown in [?].

But he does save the lion's share of criticism for mathematics academic,Craig Bauer.

And deservedly so.

Mr.Bauer was promoting his new publication on codes and ciphers,at the time,and had most extra to gain,by his association,with this production.

Apart from the pilfering of other's ideas,downright plagiarism,and deliberate misrepresentation,the most disappointing aspect is that so many involved have elected to trash the notion that this case can still be solved.

They have,in effect,accepted that the case of the Zodiac Killer,is ready for ''Folklore'',and decided,for the equivalence of the ''King's Shilling'' to become a part of a group that edges it,even closer to this possibility.

It is to their shame.

Demidog

1/29/2018 10:31:39 am

I was recently looking back with the aid of ‘pause’ at HC "Hunt for the Zodiac" ep.1 and happened to notice that one of the cipher team (Bauer?) had the "I kill both night and day" crack on his screen at 41m 12s. I realize with shows like this there is a lot of post-production editing and clip shifting between episodes; but it's further proof of how HC and Karga 7 were playing the audience for sensationalism & theater. Even stranger would be if (sequentially) this clip really is from the first episode and . . . that's Kevin Knight's hand in front of the screen. We'd have to offer him a Best Supporting Actor award for his surprise phone call/reaction to Craig Bauer’s ‘Eureka’ revelation at the end of episode 4 going into 5!

Carl Karas

1/29/2018 06:54:01 pm

Very important to demolish the cipher analysis as the article does so effectively. There's a lot of 'fake news' here that's been exposed. If I were a serious cryptographer I would be outraged. I was fooled by some of the credentials. Echoes what Trump is trying to do to our democracy...gaslighting. The crypto team in the series must be completely chagrined by now. Any content that might seem plausible, like the two proposed suspects for example, has to be discredited as well. Nothing here can be used as a reference for any future research, it's all tainted. Dissapointed 'couch potato here. Very grateful for Mr Briere's exposé. I would appreciate his feedback on my own Z-340 solution, which I've posted several times on Zodiac Ciphers FB page

Judith Chapman

1/31/2018 06:56:12 pm

Bill did an excellent job with the critique. So sad, because this series could have been effective instead of a joke. Starting with Riverside was a good idea, solving this murder could lead to who the Zodiac Killer was. On Tom V's site Tahoe stated the production company obtained a male DNA profile from the blood on Cheri Jo's pants and has turned it over to Riverside PD. That would be worth it all...

Rubislaw 32 link

2/1/2018 05:58:37 am

I would think,Judith,that anything forensically,worth having,went to the California DOJ,a long time ago.

If it didn't,there is something very wrong,with the ''whole system''.

This recent series is an ''other worldly'' take on the Zodiac case.A commercial enterprise,concocted between Disney's gift for fantasy,and the Hearst Corporation's business acumen.

Period.

Judith N Chapman

2/1/2018 05:42:11 pm

Do you believe that the DOJ has the so-called partial DNA profile that has been used to eliminate some of the suspects?

Rubislaw 32 link

2/2/2018 12:11:36 am

What I believe,Judith.....and in no shape or form do I mean to be flippant...is...that the DOJ has all available materials....both of a forensic nature,or otherwise....in order to construct a prosecuting case against a suspect.

The DOJ may feel that they do not have enough of these materials...and,indeed,may not have a suspect ''to'' prosecute.

But a TV program isn't going to find them anything extra,as an entity,in itself.

Rubislaw 32 link

2/2/2018 12:33:38 am

On a more speculative note,Ross Sullivan does appear,on paper,to be a reasonable suspect,in the Cheri Jo Bates case.

But I would think it unlikely,that he hasn't already been given close scrutiny,already.

It is possible that because the DOJ believe that they may be able to prosecute Zodiac for extortion of the police,the Enterprise newspaper,and Joseph Bates,in the future.....that they don't want to ''cloud'' the case with murder suspects ''in or out'',until that ''optimistic'' judgement day.

Particularly,to murder suspects,like Sullivan,who are already deceased,and can't be prosecuted,anyway.

Judith N Chapman

2/2/2018 07:30:13 am

Okay so when someone from California DOJ came to visit me in Spring of 2012 with additional officers, to inquire about my suspect, they had two DNA profiles from our sons. Now I'm thinking my suspect must have matched the partial DNA profile or why would they bother coming to see me? On that day they told me only San Francisco police had the partial.

Rubislaw 32 link

2/2/2018 08:51:19 am

I am sure we would all be interested,in the circumstances,by which they obtained your sons' DNA samples,Judith [?].

I was asked for mine,in 2010,as a ''technical'' suspect.I was further informed,that if they had no further use for them,after three years,then they would be destroyed.

Many don't realise that,if you agree to voluntarily handing them over,it is a protracted business,in that it takes about 20 minutes for officers to read you your rights,first [!].

The police will always seek to tell you as little as they possibly can.

It can seem morally cruel....and I understand you wondering,if there is anything that you can actually deduce,by what little they did tell you [?].

Judith N Chapman

2/2/2018 10:11:19 pm

Our oldest son has been a life-long felon in the state of California and should have his DNA in CODIS no guarantees of course as to the efficiency of such a system, but he was most recently arrested and is being held on federal charges currently for robbing a bank in Oregon. So I would hope to God someone has collected his DNA by now they reported that he has been arrested 53 times. I had our younger son's DNA testing performed some years ago and have provided that profile to many law agencies. It was used to eliminate their father as a suspect in the EAR crimes for example, or at least that is what the Sacramento Sheriff's told me. I am the original dupe.

Rubislaw 32 link

2/3/2018 12:48:14 am

Gosh ! - I am so sorry to hear of your suffering,in light of your eldest son's crimes,Judith.

You must wonder,whatever you did wrong ?

I have no criminal record,as such.But,during the course of my private investigations for the murder of a young women,I committed ''legal infringements'',which I voluntarily admitted to the police about,when interviewed,regarding a suspect.

I received a formal caution,for one infringement.I took it on the chin,instead of seeking legal advice,and the police respected me for that.

Strangely,as I consider it now,I could,in theory,become the only person to commit a misdemeanour,in the course of Zodiac investigations,before someone is actually apprehended,for those crimes.

Well,we could be ''wishful thinking''.....but,you never know....

Rubislaw 32 link

2/11/2018 12:02:07 am

Best,and most prophetic comment posted [anonymously],in the advent of the History Channel series :

''Oh my God,it's trash ! .......isn't it ? ''.

'THIS IS NOT THE ZODIAC SPEAKING' BY BILL BRIERE

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