After Holmes · Dr. MacDonell's Forensic Casebook

"After Holmes: Dr. MacDonell’s Forensic Casebook" provides sixty studies from the casebook of criminalist Herbert Leon MacDonell. No liar for hire, MacDonell’s currency is science, and science is truth. Whether working for the prosecution or the defense, if the source of his retainer is unhappy with his findings, then tough cookie!

The contents cover a range of case types. Included are the trials of O.J. Simpson, Jean Harris, the Chicago Black Panthers, Joanne Chesimard, Thomas Randolph, and Marjorie Congdon. MacDonell brings to light bloodspatter evidence that Nicole Brown Simpson was murdered before Ron Goldman, contrary to the theory espoused by the prosecution. He lays out, in detail-by-tiny-detail, the proof that the shooting death of the Scarsdale Diet guru, Dr. Herman “Hy” Tarnower, occurred precisely as stated by Tarnower’s lover Jean Harris, who, therefore, was unjustly imprisoned for twelve years. MacDonell’s brilliant forensic work, which led to dismissal of attempted-homicide charges against seven Black Panthers—after the murder of their leader, Fred Hampton, by the Chicago police—is documented in photographs. In two cases that continue to be controversial, MacDonell provides evidence that, contrary to popular belief, Joanne Chesimard and Thomas Randolph did indeed commit the murders for which they were found guilty. Unique insight into the infamous Glensheen Mansion murders reveals how police misconduct led to the indictment of the wrong person, resulting in the likely perpetrator being found not guilty.

Several cases are described in which the results of Dr. MacDonell’s work never saw the light of day in court because they did not provide the information hoped for by the sponsoring attorneys. Perhaps most notably, he reveals the details of how Amadou Diallo was shot multiple times by Bronx police officers who—absent MacDonell’s testimony at trial—were acquitted of murder.

The only case-study that he has turned down in his venerable career was offered by Phil Spector’s defense team. The surprising reason is mute testimony to Spector’s guilt in the shooting death of starlet Lana Clarkson.

A dominant aspect of MacDonell’s modus operandi is crime-scene reconstruction, some of which have been elaborate and have provided unexpected insights missed by investigating law-enforcement agencies.

'After Holmes' is a unique blend of the horrendous things that people do to others and to themselves, and MacDonell’s quirky view of both. It comprises 110,000 words with 150 illustrations, and has a chapter index.