"I went home that night and put away the better part of a bottle of Scotch . I honestly don't know how my friends who do crash investigations for a living do it..."
You're very gracious to respond. The final straw for me in the business was a homicide. Clearly and demonstrably perpetrated by a police officer, in uniform, the web of complicated conspiracy necessary to exonerate, and not even charge the suspect angers me to this day.
So, the suppression of evidence gets my blood to boil.
If I were given the job of writing a synopsis of 447 and the Report by BEA, I would likely have to experience the same sort of frustration....
In this accident, the technical, the scientific evidence has great representation. There were three (at least) eye witnesses of the entire four minutes; their voice record is not available.
In a capital case in this country, to withhold material evidence from the Court at trial is a felony, and would likely be charged and pursued. Keep in mind that those who retain it in this accident and prevent its propagation, are not even the "Police".
This is not complicated, and for those in the business who see it happening, well, I would hope they are as upset as I am.
My hope is that at trial, sanity prevails. A Subpoena by the Judge, and it's done. The recording is released, and since it bears so heavily on the Public interest, it likely would be made available to all.
If the evidence has been "lost", "modified", or destroyed, well, let's hope it remains available.
As a professional in the business, are you concerned about the doubt of the accuracy of the Report? It taints all the work done on the Report by everybody, it casts doubt on all...
Thanks also to IcePack....