Glad You Asked: Mute boxes in the courtroom; the origins of the word forensics; police contraband; more on wedding ceremony interuptions

Thursday, February 22, 2007 2:05 AM CST

Editors: If you have room, try to run the photo with the duct-taped box in the courtroom. Feel free to cut an answer to make room for it. -d

John Poehls asks: What was the duct-taped box on the mousepad on the table in between the Red Apple rape suspect and his attorney in the front-page photo the other day?

We turned to Mark Hertzberg, the Journal Times' award-winning courtroom photographer, for help with John's question. Mark explained that it is a temporary mute box that allows the attorney and client to speak confidentially during video conference hearings between the jail and the hearing room one floor below. As for the duct-tape look, new equipment is expected to be in place after the jail addition is finished.

Thanks to John and Mark for their help.

What can you tell me about the term forensics as it applies to academics (speaking)? How did this term get to be used in scientific study? This has been a question I have longer pondered. Please help put it to rest. Thanks.

The answer appears to be right in the dictionary. The first definition of forensics is: "... suitable for a law court, public debate or formal argumentation. The second reads: "Specializing in or having to do with the application of scientific, esp. medical knowledge to legal matters, as in the investigation of crime."

The word originates from the Latin word, "forensis," which translates to "public." Originally, forensics referred to the skills of debating a case in court of law. Over time, it became an adjective for types of science used to build a case in a court of law. Forensics sciences are not limited to fingerprints and DNA. Other types include: forensic accounting, forensic biology and even something called forensic epistemology, which reportedly deals with philosophical knowledge in a legal setting.

To recap, forensics originally referred to speaking and building an argument in court. It's now more commonly used to refer to the use of the sciences to build an argument in court.

Rachel writes: What happens to the drugs police find and take? They can't just stay in the evidence room forever ... or can they?

All drugs found or confiscated by the Racine Police Department are sent to Miller Compressing in Milwaukee and burned in vats, said Sgt. Mike Polzin. Racine police officers stand by while the drugs are burned to make sure they are all destroyed.

Found items are sent to Miller Compressing once or twice per year. Drugs confiscated from suspects are held until court hearings are completed and then are burned.

Wedding ceremony follow-up

Here's a follow up to Jessica S.'s question about the line used in wedding ceremonies, "speak now or forever hold your peace."

We heard from two local clergy on this question. Both said they don't use the "forever hold your peace" line in their wedding ceremonies, which gives credence to GYA's theory that the line is a dramatic device used by TV shows and movies.

Pastor Steve Jennings, of Trinity Lutheran Church, wrote:

"In the 20 years I have been in the pastoral ministry, I have never used the line "if anyone has reason �" Our church has just produced a new hymnal with updated liturgies for funerals and weddings, and that line is not included in the new rite for Christian wedding. It was not included in our previous hymnal either. I even checked the order of marriage from 1943 and that line was not included there either, leading me to agree with you that it may be an invention of television and media. I doubt it was ever part of the rite in the Lutheran Church."

And, Father Joseph Stobba, of St. Rita's Catholic Church in Caledonia, returned our call to say the line is not used in Catholic wedding services. "We do not use that phrase at all," Stobba said.

So unless anyone else comes forward, we'll consider the matter closed. Speak now or forever hold your peace! And, thanks to Father Joseph and Pastor Jennings for their answers.

What is Glad You Asked?

GYA is a regularly column in The Journal Times that seeks answers to questions. Do you have a question? Send it to us at: ask@journaltimes.com, or give us a call at (262) 631-1758.

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