Personal Hero: Dr. Henry C. Lee

I am only 54 pages into my new book; Cracking Cases by Dr. Henry C. Lee and am already thoroughly immersed in the fascinating world of science that is used to solve crimes. Dr. Lee is one of my favorite people; he also has a highly regarded television show about his work called Trace Evidence which airs on Court TV. His method of objective fact-finding and dispassionate assessment of crime scenes is both dynamic and marvelous to watch or read about. He is a consummate professional in his work and his friendly manners in his TV Show mark him as a remarkable human being. That he has devoted so much of his life to speaking for those dead by criminal acts is a testament to his courage to speak the truth no matter what the outcome. This is why he is both a heroic individual and a compassionate man among men.

Forensic pathology has always fascinated me, perhaps it’s because I have a deep appreciation of death being part of the process of living. Don’t be deceived into thinking that acceptance of death as part of life means that I am any more looking forward to it then anyone else. My interest in merely clinical and I often considered going back to school to pursue my MD so that I could work in the Los Angeles Coroner’s Office. Being calm, detail oriented and not squeamish, I thought this would be an admiral job without glory, but much satisfaction. However, it appears that I got caught up in life and have neither the time nor money to go back to school. As time continues to pass, it is clear that I enjoy watching other’s do this job and related criminology work, their dedication and indeed the efforts they go to in order to obtain justice for those who have been murdered or abused is something that I can only imagine and admire.

This is the reason that Dr. Lee is a person I both respect and look up to. He is someone who shows a great deal of thoughtful analysis and unspeakable tenacity when faced with complex cases. He has testified in the O.J. Simpson Case, examined Laci Peterson’s remains, and worked on the JonBenet Ramsey investigation. He has a strong stance against spousal abuse and domestic violence, which I find honorable. I imagine he must have a difficult time working on such tragic circumstances, but in all that I have read about him he appears to cope well. It’s a difficult job and in many respects he is the perfect candidate to do the forensic With his PhD in biology along with his experience as a police officer his knowledge and experience go hand in hand. We need good people like this in the world to help victims of violence acheive some level of justice.