Associates in Forensic Investigations
Legal Investigators and Expert Consultants
Personal Injury, Negligence & Death
Civil, Criminal & Probate
Equivocal Death Investigations
Colorado (970) 480-7793 ~ Wyoming (307) 222-0136
Quaero Indicium -
'To Find the Evidence'
Please distribute to others that may have an interest
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Greetings
Happy 2016 to All!
We hope you had a
great Christmas, Hanukkah and New Year! 2015 was a good year - from settling back in Colorado near our kids and grandkids, to new clients and continuing with our many long-term clients. We have had some exciting cases, and have been able to help families with answers and closures, as well as victims and defendants with their civil and criminal litigation.
Code of Ethics for our Agency
As Professional Investigators and Expert Consultants we are dedicated to search for factual information through acceptable investigative procedures. It is our purpose to deal honestly, justly and courteously with all whom we come in contact and to practice our profession according to this Code of Ethics.
We share a responsibility for maintaining inviolate the integrity and trust of our profession.
Updated CVs
Our updated CVs, and a complete case assignment and information packet, are available at
http://goo.gl/uTD2Ph
We specialize in helping other PIs and attorneys assisting families!
Contact our agency any time - we're there when you need us.
www.DeathCaseReview.com
- Legal Investigators and Expert Consultants in Personal Injury, Negligence & Death for Civil, Criminal and Probate litigation.
IN THIS NEWSLETTER:
-- Happy 2016 to All!
-- Code of Ethics
-- Updated CVs
-- Agency News
- Scheduled speaking engagements
- Commentary from our blog archives
-- Tidbits from Our Colleagues
- Association conferences
-- Associations and News of our Profession
- News from PPIAC NALI, NCISS and WAD, and your association news!
-- From the News
- Making a Murderer
- NCISS Legislative Alerts and News
-- The Quint-Essential Qualities of a Professional Investigator
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AND MORE!
Together We're Better - Together We Make the Difference!
Associates in Forensic Investigations LLC is a Rocky Mountain West Agency owned by Dean A. Beers, CLI, CCDI and Karen S. Beers, BSW, CCDI.
We provide Expert Consultations and Legal Investigations of Personal Injury, Negligence & Death in Civil, Criminal and Probate litigation. We are Subject Matter Experts in Equivocal Death Investigation and Analysis, Medicolegal Investigations of Fatal and Non-Fatal Events.
We are based in the Rocky Mountain West and provide expert consultations nationally. Learn details at
www.DeathCaseReview.com
Here is a video explaining what we do and why -
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OgsvtbSk8fg
AFI-LLC - Our agency is called upon for many reasons - from investigations to consultations - and from finding the right investigator to the right expert. We have recently added to our case examples found at http://www.DeathCaseReview.com/sample-cases.html.
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Agency News and Updates
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Continuing Education is Important
Every other year we have to submit the Continuing Education for our Certified Criminal Defense Investigator (CCDI) accreditation, with 50 CEs required (25 per year). We each submitted over 50 per year of approved CEs - submitting only conference seminar training.
Every three years Dean has to submit the Continuing Education for his Certified Legal Investigator (CLI) accreditation, with 50 hours required (about 17 per year). Dean was eligible to submit over 200 hours of approved CEs, as articles and teaching are also included.
Continuing education is an important component of all professions, and of great importance to our legal investigations and expert consultations. Visit
www.InvestigativeCourses.com for your own distance learning CEs.
Scheduled Speaking Engagements
Our agency is scheduled for the following speaking engagements this year:
PAWLI (Wisconsin) end of March
CALI (California) in June
TALI (Texas) in August
Please see below for conference dates and details!
Commentary from the blog archives of AFI-LLC at www.deathcasereview.com/afi-llc-blog.html - Keep up with the current events of our agency and profession through our blog. Dating back to the fall of 2011, there are dozens of articles, tips and resources for professional investigators and those seeking the assistance of professional investigators.
Gunshot Residue (GSR) and Testing (originally posted 02/12/2015)
During our combined years at the medical examiner's office (spanning from late 2002 to late 2008), we collected GSR from every decedent with a cause of death due to a gunshot wound; every investigator did. However, the state laboratory had no longer accepted them for testing unless specific circumstances would warrant it. We cannot recall any submissions of GSR to the state lab. Instead it was recommended to collect DNA swabs from the decedent, firearm and other relevant evidence.
How to request and retrieve your tax records online! (originally posted 12/14/2014)
The most common question is how to obtain another person's tax records - we'll get to that shortly. First, how to get your or instruct a client how to obtain their own. You can do so online or by mail, dating back approximately 7 years. You will have to directly contact the IRS for more historical records.
A transcript is not a copy of the return. Transcripts show most line items from your tax return (Form 1040, 1040A or 1040EZ) as it was originally filed, including any accompanying forms and schedules. This transcript does not reflect any changes you, your representative or the IRS made after you filed your return. In many cases, a Return Transcript will meet the requirements of lending institutions offering mortgages and student loans. There is no charge for the service and records.
Importance of Photography in Equivocal Death Investigations (originally posted 09/13/2014)
Our role as medicolegal death investigators includes reviewing cases for other professional investigators, attorneys and families. They may question the evidence or investigative protocol - they ultimately question the Manner of Death - Natural, Accident, Suicide, Homicide and Undetermined - most often suicide. They may question the Cause of Death - the specific actions, but not often.
Balancing the Financial and Resource Scales of Justice (originally posted 3/31/2015)
"A recent story, now several a day it seems, tells of a death row exonoree receiving a settlement for his wrongful conviction. In a recent settlement this was $20 million. Also recently is the story of a Texas prosecutor being charged with misconduct in a death penalty case. However, that wrongfully convicted person was executed in 2004. The levels of wrongful conviction span all - from misdemeanors to death penalty cases. We should be concerned with all imbalances we face and their consequences. The percentage of these wrongful convictions is low, and in reality not fully avoidable. However, we can work to mitigate these as practicing legal investigators and through our state and national associations."
Individual Locates, Backgrounds and Assets & Liabilities for your Civil, Criminal, Probate and Domestic Relations litigation
For over 25 years our agency has provided cost-effective and accurate verified Individual Locates, Backgrounds, and Assets & Liabilities. States and availability of records vary.
Legal Investigations and Expert Consultations of Death or Serious Bodily Injury in Civil, Criminal and Probate
We specialize in helping other PIs and attorneys assisting families. Contact our agency any time - we're there when you need us.
www.4N6Associates.com
Global Investigators Media Group (GIMG.tv) with Facts & Forensics
GIMG.tv took a break for December, but we are preparing our January show with special guest JD Thomas, of Forensic Consulting Services in Florida. We will be returning with Conversations with Karen, including the latest NetFlix series 'Making a Murderer' and other topical discussions of interest.
Be sure and visit
www.GIMG.tv for all of the Global Investigators Media Group hosts and shows!
DISTANCE LEARNING FOR INVESTIGATORS
AFI-LLC is developing distance learning video on demand courses for investigators, and has put together some distance learning courses from other contributors. See complete details at
www.InvestigativeCourses.com
BOOKS FOR INVESTIGATORS
AFI-LLC has put together some of the best fiction and non-fiction books available from Amazon. These range from studying for certifications to best practices, and investigative fiction and non-fiction. Most of these are written by our friends and colleagues, including fellow CLIs and CCDIs. See the complete list of books at
http://amazon.privateinvestigations.org
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Our Expert Forensic Affiliations
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 We believe that medicolegal investigation and consultation is a team effort. Stephen Cina MD, Harold Schueler PhD, and our agency are affiliated as experts in our respective fields offering our clients comprehensive medicolegal services.
Dr. Cina is the Chief Medical Examiner of a large metropolitan area in the upper mid-west. Dr. Schueler is the Chief Forensic Toxicologist of a large mid-Atlantic metropolitan area.
Contact our office to consult on medicolegal death and injury causation. The CVs of both Dr. Cina and Dr. Schueler are available by Contacting Us .
We are proud of our working relationship with Dr. Cina, since 2002 and Dr. Schueler since 2010.
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Tidbits from Our Profession
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Association Conferences
National Association of Legal Investigators (NALI)
49th Annual Conference
April 27-30, 2016
Crowne Plaza Midtown, Atlanta, Georgia
National Council of Investigation and Security Services (NCISS)
NCISS 40th Annual Conference and Hit the Hill!
Embassy Suites Baltimore Inner Harbor & Grand Historic Venue, Baltimore, MD
Details at
www.NCISS.org
World Association of Detectives (WAD)
WAD 2016 Mid-Term Board Meeting
April 17-19, 2016
Florida Association of Licensed Investigators (FALI)
FALI Annual Conference
May 12-14, 2016
Hilton Tampa Airport Westshore
Details at
www.FALI.org
Texas Association of Licensed Investigators (TALI)
2016 World Investigators / TALI Conference
August 16-19, 2016
La Torretta Lake Resort and Conference Center on Lake Conroe
Details at
www.TALI.org
California Association of Licensed Investigators (CALI)
CALI Annual Conference
June 11-14, 2016
Omni Rancho Las Palmas Resort and Spa
Details at
www.CALI-PI.org
Criminal Defense Investigation Training Council (CDITC)
Certified Forensic Science Investigator Program (CFSI)
40 - Hour Training Academy Programs
National Defender Investigators Association (NDIA)
NDIA National Conference
April 6-7, 2016
Omni William Penn Hotel, Pittsburgh PA
Details at
www.NDIA.net
Professional Association of Wisconsin Licensed Investigators (PAWLI)
PAWLI Conference 2016
March 31-April 1, 2016
The Hotel Mead, Wisconsin Rapids WI
Details at
www.PAWLI.com
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Associations and News of Our Profession
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Professional Private investigations Association of Colorado
(
www.PPIAC.org
) Monthly meetings are the first Wednesday of each month, usually in the Denver metro area. PPIAC will begin holding training sessions specific to the new licensing program.
National Association of Legal Investigators (
www.NALI.com)
NALI is the premier association for legal investigators for civil plaintiff and criminal defense, and oversees the prestigious Certified Legal Investigator (CLI) program. Experience is required to join and all members are subject to a background check.
The current issue of NALI's official journal - The Legal Investigator - is now available online at
www.nalionline.org/publications.htm
National Council of Investigation and Security Services (
www.NCISS.org)
Updated Benefits for NCISS Members!
NCISS has just updated its benefits page for members and is looking forward to having you join. View the new extended benefits at http://conta.cc/1R3CMUv
http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs179/1102296473151/archive
The current issue of NCISS's official newsletter - Your Advocate - is now available online at
www.nciss.org/the-advocate. NCISS is the voice of investigators and security personnel at the federal level. The primary mission of NCISS is to watch federal legislation and work with members to take appropriate action to support beneficial, or oppose harmful, legislation in the course of performing their professional services. Dean is the editor of Your Advocate. Members of NCISS receive a copy of the newsletter three times a year. The current bi-monthly issue of The eAdvocate, and all NCISS Legislative Alerts, and key benefits are posted at
http://conta.cc/ZoQsTl.
WAD is a global alliance of investigators and security professionals with origins dating back to 1921 and formalized in 1925. WAD is the longest established and largest association of its kind in the world.
Karen is the new WAD Administrative Manager, and Dean is continuing as the Governor of the Americas (North, Central and South America). Together we work to further the mission of WAD and provide resources to clients needing assistance in these regions. The WAD magazine, Beyond Global, is available online at
http://www.wad.net/newsletters-beyond-global.
Additional memberships include FALI, TALI and CALI state associations, as well as specialty specific national associations (see right side-bar).
If your association has news, please send it to us for inclusion in our newsletter.
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From the News
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'Making A Murderer' on Netflix
You have probably heard all the buzz about the Netflix series, Making A Murderer. A documentary mini-series based on 10 years of following the investigation and trials of Steven Avery and his nephew, Brendan Dassey, in the murder of Teresa Halbach in Wisconsin.
This is a very interesting case from many perspectives. However, like all such cases, requires more than watching a mini-series. There are now online petitions for the president to pardon both convicted defendants.
The president can't pardon a state crime, but the governor can. A team of unbiased and non-law enforcement experts, not in or around WI, should review this full case - not any biased post-conviction information. As egregious as this appears, we have to accept there is a bias in the documentary. Sadly, we see these types of investigations and convictions too often...but it comes with our work and is not the actual norm. Before declaring an opinion on guilt, innocence or corruption - research.
"It is wrong always, everywhere and for everyone to believe anything upon insufficient evidence."
NCISS News
The best way to stay current and support the investigative and security professions is by joining NCISS. Visit the NCISS web site for a compendium of key legislation by state at
www.nciss.org/legislation then go to the link entitled "State Legislation." The white states are states that either have no pending bills of interest or are not in session. You can also page down to your state where it is listed alphabetically.
Check out the recently launched "Advocacy Hub." If you have not heard about the "Advocacy Hub," the Hub allows members to send already drafted letters to key legislators and government officials right from the web site. Currently there are two items pending. Check them out!
This service, usually reserved for members only, is temporarily complimentary from NCISS to make those aware of the strength and value of NCISS and proactive legislative awareness.
Archives of NCISS Legislative Alerts
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| The Quint-Essential Qualities of a Professional Investigator... |
Skills Appropriate for the Assignment
Law firms and medical offices specialize - Professional Investigators also specialize. Their casework and continuing education should also be in your specialized areas.
Experience and Knowledge
Professional Investigators strive to maintain and further these. All professions have requirements of continuing education. The CLI program requires extensive compliance with continuing education.
Responsible and Ethical Conduct
Every component of the investigation has evidentiary considerations. Professional Investigators hold themselves to a higher standard and leaves no question as to the admissibility of their evidence. Information without ethics is not evidence.
Effective Communication
Professional Investigators maintain communication with the attorney, client, witnesses, and other key persons in the investigation. Moreover, reports are the product of an organized investigation and should reflect the work product you expect.
Keyword - 'Professional'
Honesty, Integrity & Intelligence. These define Professional Investigators and gives you the confidence that your case is in competent and skilled hands.
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In Closing...
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To our friends, colleagues and clients,
Thank you for a great 2015! We are proud of the involvement we have had in the cases - from the small traffic accidents to the fatal hit and run collisions; and wrongful death to death penalty and post-conviction cases. Please accept our sincerest thanks for making us part of your lives and being part of our success!
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We specialize in helping other PIs and attorneys assisting families. Contact our agency any time - we're there when you need us. Together We're Better - We Make the Difference!
Don't forget to share our newsletters. If you are receiving this from a friend
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Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC
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| Dean and Karen Beers |
Specializes in the Expert Consultations and Legal Investigations of Personal Injuries, Negligence and Death in Civil, Criminal and Probate litigation.
We provide investigations and consultations of any death or injury causation case from any location with the conveniences of modern technology and assistance of our local professional friends and colleagues.
In addition, we continue to provide Individual Locates, Backgrounds and Assets & Liabilities for your Civil, Criminal, Probate and Domestic Relations litigation. Additional information at www.deathcasereview.com/general-services.html
Call us today, we're glad to help!
We are the PRIDE of Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC - Professional Reliable Investigators Defining Excellence in every assignment.
Thank You. Please contact us with any questions or for additional information on these topics and our related services.
Sincerely,
Dean A. Beers, CLI, CCDI
Karen S. Beers, BSW, CCDI
Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC
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| Newsletter and Press Release Archives from July 2010 < Click Here > |
Download our Agency Information and Case Request Packet
< Click Here >
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| Featured Articles Dean and Karen have several articles published, some are available for reprint. For details email: Associates@Forensic-Investigators.com |
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| Find us and 'Like' us! |
Dean is at:
Karen is at: 
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Professional Associations
Professional Private Investigators Association of Colorado (PPIAC)
National Association of Legal Investigators (NALI)
National Council of Investigation and Security Services (NCISS)
World Association of Detectives (WAD) Inner Circle of Investigators (ICI) Criminal Defense Investigation Council (CDITC) National Defender Investigator Association (NDIA) Florida Association of Licensed Investigators (FALI) Texas Association of Licensed Investigators (TALI) California Association of Licensed Investigators (CALI) National Association of Medical Examiners (NAME) International Association for Identification (IAI) and (RMDIAI)
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