Direct(fixed)

1. Please state your name for the court, spelling the last
a. Chris Sorum, S-O-R-U-M
2. What do you do for a living?
a. I am a forensic scientist and criminalist in the Minnesota Bureau of Criminal
Apprehension.
3. What are your responsibilities as a forensic scientist and criminalist?
a. I analyze crime scenes to determine what evidence should be collected and how.
I also analyze the evidence in order to help the police “catch their man”
4. Mr. Sorum could you tell the court about your education?
a. I graduated from the University of Minnesota-Duluth as a Biology major
5. Do you have any additional Certifications?
a. I am board certified from the AAOFS for blood serology and hands writing
analysis

➔ Enter CV as evidence
➔ Enter as Expert Witness

6. When did you hear about this case?

a. I first heard of the story on the news. However, on June 27th, I got a call from my
boss to come and help the Duluth Police department in the analysis of scene of
the homicide
7. Can you describe your first steps at the Crime Scene?
a. After being briefed by Detective Waller, I wore the correct protective gear - so as
to not contaminate the crime scene - and got to examining.
b. I first looked at the landing on the stairs, where the attack on Nurse Martinez had
taken place
8. Can you elaborate on what you found at the landing?
a. There were many pools and splatters of blood, indicating that there was a
significant struggle. I also bagged the attack weapon - a brass candlestick - for
later analysis.
9. What did your further analysis of the candlestick reveal?
a. The candlestick contained a partial fingerprint, but it wasn't sufficiently unique
enough to match it to anyone in particular.
b. I also tested the blood on the candlestick, and both the general type and blood
enzyme genotype matched Caldwell’s
10. So whose blood was on that candlestick?
a. It is my expert opinion that the blood on the candlestick belonged to Caldwell
11. Which other analysis di you do on the crime scene?
a. I also analyzed Ms.Congdon’s bedroom - where the murder took place.
b. The bedroom itself was in disarray, I suspect the killer ransacked the room after
the murder
12. Did you find any evidence in the bedroom?
a. There were not fingerprints with enough detail to match them to a singular person
b. I found some blood on the pillow case, matching Ms.Congdon’s nose wound from
her autopsy as well as some hair from Ms,Congdon’s bed
13. What did the analysis of this evidence provide?
a. The general blood type from the pillow matched Ms.Congdon’s
b. However hair samples are not unique enough to match them to a single person
14. Did you have to analyze any evidence not found at the scene of the murder?
a. Yes, the nurse’s car - a Ford Granada, found at the Minneapolis airport
b. As well as the most significant piece of evidence I later received was an envelope
of Radisson Hotel Duluth stationery addressed to Robin Caldwell post marked
“Duluth MN 558” and “PM 27 Jun 1977.”
15. Where was the letter found?
a. This envelope was apparently intercepted by Holland House hotel staff and
forwarded to law enforcement because the hotel staff was advised that Caldwell,
one of their registered guests, was the primary suspect
16. What evidence was found in the car?
a. The nurse’s keys and a parking ramp entry ticket stamped “Jun 27, 1977 7:45
a.m.” were found abandoned in the car
b. The only significant evidence from the car was a circular spot of fresh blood
found on the driver’s floor mat, directly under the right edge of the steering wheel.
17. In your expert opinion, who did this blood belong to?
a. This blood matched Robin Caldwell’s blood because it was blood type “O” and
blood enzyme “PGM-1.”
18. What did the analysis of the letter reveal?
a. When opened the envelope revealed a very rare and unique Byzantine coin
which matched the description of an item reported missing from the Congdon
mansion
b. The post office had already verified the authenticity of the postmark, so my focus
was first on the handwriting
19. And what did you learn from analyzing the handwriting?
a. The handwriting matched the same flourishes and grandiose, sweeping upward
strokes of Caldwell’s signature and exhibit similar shapes for various letters.
b. The capital “R” in both the envelopes and the known samples of Robin Caldwell’s
signature are especially unique and similar.
20. Were there any points of doubt in the handwriting?
a. There were some hesitation marks and increased pressure points, but that is
very common when a person is stressed, as they would be after committing
murder
21. Was there anything else found from the letter?
a. a fingerprint was found near the flap of the envelope using a ninhydrin test
b. I found eleven points of identification, which is more than enough under BCA and
FBI standards, to declare a match
c. I conclude that the fingerprint was a match to Mr. Caldwell’s right thumb
22.
a. Thank You, no further questions