In the non-stop coverage about the runaway bride case in Georgia, I’m surprised no one has called Duluth Police Chief Randy Belcher to task for one of the more bizarre comments on the case. Before Jennifer Wilbanks turned up, of course, the logical suspect in the disappearance was her fiance, John Mason.
Mason took a private polygraph test which he passed, but police wanted him to take a police-administered polygraph test. Mason was willing, but with conditions. According to Fox News,
Mason’s attorney, Jim Watkins, has set forth conditions for an official polygraph, including that it be videotaped, which is not procedure for an official test.
Belcher said no law enforcement agency “that’s worth anything” will agree to videotape a lie detector test.
WTF is wrong with people like Belcher? They’re going to rely on a pseudoscientific device like a polygraph and then deny a suspect the right to videotape the test? Are they afraid that the videotape will show just what nonsense polygraphs are?
Frankly, I can understand how someone who would refuse such a reasonable request is fit to serve as a dog catcher, much less the police chief.
Source:
Cops Call of Search for Missing Woman. Fox News, April 29, 2005.