July 20, 1995 - Part 3
July 20, 1995 - Part 3
(12:25:32) Senator BRYAN. By the way, I compliment the department on that, That makes a lot of sense. You have experience. Your people gain some insight into some things, and you make some changes, in updating your procedures, and your manual is updated. I think that makes a lot of sense. I note that, with respect to the manual as it relates to suicide,' there is an entry in there called "place of employment." Let me just !A read that for you because I think it bears out your own evaluation' in terms of the priorities, Sergeant Braun and Detective Rolla. It goes on to say, and I'm quoting: For a complete and comprehensive investigation, ion, an investigator shall visit the place of employment of the deceased. It may be necessary to interview friends and co-workers to determine unusual behavior or mood changes of the victim. When conducting interviews of the place of employment, the investigator shall organize the on-site activities with the supervisor at that location. While talking with the supervisor, a request shall be made to examine the victim's workplace. This should be done in a dignified, unobtrusive manner. I don't think any of us could quarrel with that, but I do note in looking at the manual prepared after the event, that at no place does it indicate that it ought to be sealed or locked anyway. Am I correct in reaching that conclusion, Sergeant? Ms. BRAUN. Yes, you are. Senator BRYAN. Which I think makes the point that you're making, that there are other priorities in conducting these kinds of investigations and, frankly, that wasn't one of the priorities you had. In terms of the kind of information that you were looking for, the office, I gather that you really were not interested in the work product of the office- that is what was occurring wit respect to re- 191 viewing prospective applicants for appointment to various positions in the Federal Government or any of the national security files or anything of that sort. You were looking for some kind of demonstrable evidence indicating that hey, there was a suicide note or something that would bear on the suicide investigation. Let me just ask the three of you if that's not a correct analysis? Ms. BRAUN. Yes, we were looking for personal information that would verify that Mr. Foster's state of mind was one to commit suicide. Mr. ROLLA. That's correct. Senator BRYAN. Major Hines? Mr. HINES. That's correct. Senator BRYAN. That's all the questions I have. I would yield back the time to counsel, if counsel wanted to-Mr. Ben-Veniste. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. Thank you, sir. Just to follow up on the point which was made, the manual relating to suicide investigations was prepared principally by Detective Rayfield; is that correct? Ms. BRAUN. Yes, sir. Mr. ROLLA. It was circulated through the office afterwards for comments. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. It was circulated around? Mr. ROLLA. Yes, it was. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. Detective Rayfield was a very experienced investigator who had the confidence of everyone in the office; is that correct? Mr. ROLLA. That's correct. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. Could we put on the screen Exhibit 16 from the Park Police? A hard copy has been provided to each of you. That is, in fact, the manual which includes the collective experience and wisdom of your best investigators concerning what kind of procedures to be used under such circumstances, is that correct? Ms. BRAUN. Yes. Mr. BEN-VENISTE, As Senator Bryan has pointed out, what you do in connection with a normal situation in a workplace investigation is to secure the cooperation of the people who worked together with the decedent to try to find out whether they have seen any papers or can provide you with any information that would be helpful; is that right? Mr. ROLLA. That's correct. Ms. BRAUN. Yes. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. It has nothing to do with actually scaling a place of employment or locking it up or otherwise barring others from entering; correct? Mr. ROLLA, No, the manual does not. Mr. BEN-VENISTE. It does not. The distinction is obviously made between the scene of a death and a workplace investigation related to a suicide that occurs in a different location; is that correct? Mr. ROLLA. That's correct,