Casey Anthony Trial - Classical Vass - Orlando Magazine

Jun 6, 2011
11:10 PM
Casey Anthony Trial - Classical Vass

Excerpt:

You could tell from the moment he took the stand that Dr. Arpad Vass was going to be more than just your usual witness. A senior research scientist at Oak Ridge National Laboratory, he tested air and carpet samples for the state of Florida in its case against Casey Anthony. Human decomposition odor analysis is a relatively new science, and by that, I mean it's never been used in a trial before. Before this one, that is, and it's also another notch in the resume of State Attorney Jeff Ashton. His first claim to fame was way back in 1987. While prosecuting a rape case, he was the first in the country to use DNA evidence successfully in a trial.

Arpad Vass is a veritable who's who of -ologies, meaning he's got a ton of scientific studies under his belt. He's the somebody in Body Farm, located in Knoxville, Tennessee, where over 1,100 human remains and countless pigs have been used as test subjects. They are left outside in all sorts of conditions; hot, cold, wet, and dry weather, above ground, below ground and everywhere in between.

While he described the work he does in scientific terms, for the most part, he skirted language most of us would consider urbane and undecipherable. Sure, there's 100 trillion cells in our bodies. Yes, he told us all about the chemical breakdown of soft tissue and how fluids leak out in different stages.

More: http://www.orlandomagazine.com/Blogs/Casey-Anthony-Trial/June-2011/Classical-Vass/