Henry Lee (criminologist)
Encyclopedia
Dr. Henry Chang-Yu Lee (Chinese
: 李昌鈺, pinyin
: Lǐ Chāngyù) (born 22 November 1938), is one of the world's foremost forensic scientists
.
city, Jiangsu
province, China, and fled to Taiwan
at the end of the Chinese Civil War
in the late 1940s. His father, who was traveling separately from the rest of the family, perished when passenger ship Taiping sank on 27 January 1949. Growing up fatherless, Lee never aspired to attending university; instead, he went on to graduate in 1960 from the Central Police College
with a degree in Police Science (Central Police College is a "service academy" in Taiwan, and it is tuition-free, with living stipend provided). Lee then began his work with the Taipei
Police Department, where he rose to the rank of captain at age 25, the youngest in Taiwanese history. He later immigrated to the U.S. with his wife in 1965.
In 1972, after coming to the United States
to pursue his education, he earned a B.S.
in Forensic Science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice
in New York
. He went on to study science
and biochemistry
at New York University
and earned his M.S.
in 1974 and Ph. D.
in Biochemistry in 1975.
for Scientific Services for the State of Connecticut
and an occasional lecture professor of forensic science at the University of New Haven
, where he has helped to set up the Henry C. Lee Forensic Institute and he is also a visiting professor at the East China University of Political Science and Law. Previously, he has served as Connecticut's Commissioner of Public Safety, the Director of the Connecticut State Police Forensic Science Laboratory, and as the state’s chief criminalist from 1979 to 2000.
Lee currently resides in Connecticut with his wife Margaret, whom he married in 1962.
He currently has a TV show on the truTV network, which was Court TV back then, titled Trace Evidence: The Case Files of Dr. Henry Lee, which highlights his work on many well-known cases.
He was a guest on the hit Taiwanese talk show KangXi Lai Le
, discussing his experiences and getting involved with comedic banters, the show's primary staple.
murder, the Helle Crafts
woodchipper
murder, the O.J. Simpson and Laci Peterson
cases, the post-9/11
forensic investigation, the Washington, DC sniper shootings
and to reinvestigate the assassination of John F. Kennedy
.
Dr. Lee investigated the 3-19 Shooting Incident
of R.O.C.
President Chen Shui-bian
and Vice President Annette Lu
.
Following the O.J. Simpson case, Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr
hired Dr. Henry Lee to join his investigation of the death of Deputy White House Counsel Vincent Foster, who killed himself in Fort Marcy Park
on 20 July 1993.
He also was consulted on the 1991 death of investigative journalist Danny Casolaro
. Initially, Lee said the evidence presented to him by police was consistent with suicide
, but when additional evidence was revealed to him a few years later, Dr. Lee formally withdrew his earlier statement.
Dr. Lee was consulted as a blood spatter analyst during the trial of Michael Peterson
, a fiction writer and politician from North Carolina who, in 2003, was convicted of the murder of his wife, Kathleen Peterson.
In 2008, Dr. Henry Lee was involved in the early stages of investigation for the missing Orlando toddler, Caylee Anthony.
murder trial, said that he had concluded Dr. Henry Lee hid or accidentally destroyed a piece of evidence
from the scene of actress Lana Clarkson
's shooting.
Chinese language
The Chinese language is a language or language family consisting of varieties which are mutually intelligible to varying degrees. Originally the indigenous languages spoken by the Han Chinese in China, it forms one of the branches of Sino-Tibetan family of languages...
: 李昌鈺, pinyin
Pinyin
Pinyin is the official system to transcribe Chinese characters into the Roman alphabet in China, Malaysia, Singapore and Taiwan. It is also often used to teach Mandarin Chinese and spell Chinese names in foreign publications and used as an input method to enter Chinese characters into...
: Lǐ Chāngyù) (born 22 November 1938), is one of the world's foremost forensic scientists
Forensics
Forensic science is the application of a broad spectrum of sciences to answer questions of interest to a legal system. This may be in relation to a crime or a civil action...
.
Early life and career
The eleventh of thirteen children, Lee was born in RugaoRugao
Rugao is a city of Jiangsu province, People's Republic of China, located in the Golden Triangle region in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. It is one of the historical and cultural city of Jiangsu province....
city, Jiangsu
Jiangsu
' is a province of the People's Republic of China, located along the east coast of the country. The name comes from jiang, short for the city of Jiangning , and su, for the city of Suzhou. The abbreviation for this province is "苏" , the second character of its name...
province, China, and fled to Taiwan
Taiwan
Taiwan , also known, especially in the past, as Formosa , is the largest island of the same-named island group of East Asia in the western Pacific Ocean and located off the southeastern coast of mainland China. The island forms over 99% of the current territory of the Republic of China following...
at the end of the Chinese Civil War
Chinese Civil War
The Chinese Civil War was a civil war fought between the Kuomintang , the governing party of the Republic of China, and the Communist Party of China , for the control of China which eventually led to China's division into two Chinas, Republic of China and People's Republic of...
in the late 1940s. His father, who was traveling separately from the rest of the family, perished when passenger ship Taiping sank on 27 January 1949. Growing up fatherless, Lee never aspired to attending university; instead, he went on to graduate in 1960 from the Central Police College
National Police Agency (Republic of China)
The National Police Agency is an agency under the Ministry of the Interior, Republic of China , which oversees all ROC police forces on a national level...
with a degree in Police Science (Central Police College is a "service academy" in Taiwan, and it is tuition-free, with living stipend provided). Lee then began his work with the Taipei
Taipei
Taipei City is the capital of the Republic of China and the central city of the largest metropolitan area of Taiwan. Situated at the northern tip of the island, Taipei is located on the Tamsui River, and is about 25 km southwest of Keelung, its port on the Pacific Ocean...
Police Department, where he rose to the rank of captain at age 25, the youngest in Taiwanese history. He later immigrated to the U.S. with his wife in 1965.
In 1972, after coming to the United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
to pursue his education, he earned a B.S.
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
in Forensic Science from John Jay College of Criminal Justice
Criminal justice
Criminal Justice is the system of practices and institutions of governments directed at upholding social control, deterring and mitigating crime, or sanctioning those who violate laws with criminal penalties and rehabilitation efforts...
in New York
New York
New York is a state in the Northeastern region of the United States. It is the nation's third most populous state. New York is bordered by New Jersey and Pennsylvania to the south, and by Connecticut, Massachusetts and Vermont to the east...
. He went on to study science
Science
Science is a systematic enterprise that builds and organizes knowledge in the form of testable explanations and predictions about the universe...
and biochemistry
Biochemistry
Biochemistry, sometimes called biological chemistry, is the study of chemical processes in living organisms, including, but not limited to, living matter. Biochemistry governs all living organisms and living processes...
at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
and earned his M.S.
Master's degree
A master's is an academic degree granted to individuals who have undergone study demonstrating a mastery or high-order overview of a specific field of study or area of professional practice...
in 1974 and Ph. D.
Doctor of Philosophy
Doctor of Philosophy, abbreviated as Ph.D., PhD, D.Phil., or DPhil , in English-speaking countries, is a postgraduate academic degree awarded by universities...
in Biochemistry in 1975.
Current career
Lee is currently the Chief EmeritusEmeritus
Emeritus is a post-positive adjective that is used to designate a retired professor, bishop, or other professional or as a title. The female equivalent emerita is also sometimes used.-History:...
for Scientific Services for the State of Connecticut
Connecticut
Connecticut is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States. It is bordered by Rhode Island to the east, Massachusetts to the north, and the state of New York to the west and the south .Connecticut is named for the Connecticut River, the major U.S. river that approximately...
and an occasional lecture professor of forensic science at the University of New Haven
University of New Haven
The University of New Haven is a private university that combines a liberal arts education with professional training. The university comprises five colleges: the College of Arts and Sciences, the College of Business, the Tagliatela College of Engineering, the Henry C...
, where he has helped to set up the Henry C. Lee Forensic Institute and he is also a visiting professor at the East China University of Political Science and Law. Previously, he has served as Connecticut's Commissioner of Public Safety, the Director of the Connecticut State Police Forensic Science Laboratory, and as the state’s chief criminalist from 1979 to 2000.
Lee currently resides in Connecticut with his wife Margaret, whom he married in 1962.
He currently has a TV show on the truTV network, which was Court TV back then, titled Trace Evidence: The Case Files of Dr. Henry Lee, which highlights his work on many well-known cases.
He was a guest on the hit Taiwanese talk show KangXi Lai Le
Kangxi Lai Le
KangXi Lai Le is a Taiwanese topic-based comedy talk show hosted by Dee Hsu and Kevin Tsai , both of whom worked on variety shows. It was produced by Chungta Production from 2004 to 2009, and currently produced by Gold Star Production...
, discussing his experiences and getting involved with comedic banters, the show's primary staple.
Famous cases
He has worked on famous cases such as the JonBenét RamseyJonBenét Ramsey
JonBenét Patricia Ramsey was an American child beauty pageant contestant who was murdered in her home in Boulder, Colorado, in 1996. The six-year-old's body was found in the basement of the family home nearly eight hours after she was reported missing. She had been struck on the head and strangled...
murder, the Helle Crafts
Helle Crafts
Helle Crafts was a flight attendant famous for her brutal murder at the hands of her husband, Richard Crafts, an airline pilot and special constable. Her murder is sometimes called the "Woodchipper Murder" because of the method in which Richard Crafts disposed of her body...
woodchipper
Woodchipper
A tree chipper or wood chipper is a machine used for reducing wood into smaller parts, such as wood chips or sawdust. They are often portable, being mounted on wheels on frames suitable for towing behind a truck or van. Power is generally provided by an internal combustion engine from to...
murder, the O.J. Simpson and Laci Peterson
Laci Peterson
Laci Denise Peterson was an American woman who was the subject of a highly discussed murder case after she went missing while seven and a half months pregnant with her first child. Peterson was reportedly last seen alive on December 24, 2002...
cases, the post-9/11
September 11, 2001 attacks
The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks The September 11 attacks (also referred to as September 11, September 11th or 9/119/11 is pronounced "nine eleven". The slash is not part of the pronunciation...
forensic investigation, the Washington, DC sniper shootings
Beltway sniper attacks
The Washington sniper attacks took place during three weeks in October 2002 in Washington, D.C., Maryland, and Virginia. Ten people were killed and three others critically injured in various locations throughout the Washington Metropolitan Area and along Interstate 95 in Virginia...
and to reinvestigate the assassination of John F. Kennedy
John F. Kennedy
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy , often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963....
.
Dr. Lee investigated the 3-19 Shooting Incident
3-19 shooting incident
The 3-19 shooting incident was an assassination attempt on President Chen Shui-bian and Vice President Annette Lu while they were campaigning in Tainan on March 19, 2004, the day before Taiwan's presidential election...
of R.O.C.
Republic of China
The Republic of China , commonly known as Taiwan , is a unitary sovereign state located in East Asia. Originally based in mainland China, the Republic of China currently governs the island of Taiwan , which forms over 99% of its current territory, as well as Penghu, Kinmen, Matsu and other minor...
President Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian
Chen Shui-bian is a former Taiwanese politician who was the 10th and 11th-term President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008. Chen, whose Democratic Progressive Party has traditionally been supportive of Taiwan independence, ended more than fifty years of Kuomintang rule in Taiwan...
and Vice President Annette Lu
Annette Lu
Annette Lu Hsiu-lien , was the Vice President of the Republic of China from 2000 to 2008, under Chen Shui-bian. She announced her intentions to run for President of Taiwan on March 6, 2007, but withdrew in order to support DPP presidential nominee, Frank Hsieh...
.
Following the O.J. Simpson case, Independent Counsel Kenneth Starr
Kenneth Starr
Kenneth Winston "Ken" Starr is an American lawyer and educational administrator who has also been a federal judge. He is best known for his investigation of figures during the Clinton administration....
hired Dr. Henry Lee to join his investigation of the death of Deputy White House Counsel Vincent Foster, who killed himself in Fort Marcy Park
Fort Marcy Park
Fort Marcy Park is a public park located in unincorporated McLean, Virginia, in Fairfax County. It is administered by the National Park Service as part of the George Washington Memorial Parkway.thumb|thumb|right|Fort Marcy as it appeared during the Civil War...
on 20 July 1993.
He also was consulted on the 1991 death of investigative journalist Danny Casolaro
Danny Casolaro
Joseph Daniel Casolaro was an American freelance writer who came to public attention in 1991 when he was found dead in a bathtub in room 517 of the Sheraton Hotel in Martinsburg, West Virginia, his wrists slashed 10–12 times...
. Initially, Lee said the evidence presented to him by police was consistent with suicide
Suicide
Suicide is the act of intentionally causing one's own death. Suicide is often committed out of despair or attributed to some underlying mental disorder, such as depression, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia, alcoholism, or drug abuse...
, but when additional evidence was revealed to him a few years later, Dr. Lee formally withdrew his earlier statement.
Dr. Lee was consulted as a blood spatter analyst during the trial of Michael Peterson
Michael Peterson (author)
Michael Iver Peterson is a fiction writer and politician. In 2003, he was convicted of the murder of his wife, Kathleen Peterson.-Personal life:...
, a fiction writer and politician from North Carolina who, in 2003, was convicted of the murder of his wife, Kathleen Peterson.
In 2008, Dr. Henry Lee was involved in the early stages of investigation for the missing Orlando toddler, Caylee Anthony.
Controversy
On May 23, 2007, Los Angeles County Superior Court Judge Larry Paul Fidler, the judge in the Phil SpectorPhil Spector
Phillip Harvey "Phil" Spector is an American record producer and songwriter, later known for his conviction in the murder of actress Lana Clarkson....
murder trial, said that he had concluded Dr. Henry Lee hid or accidentally destroyed a piece of evidence
Evidence
Evidence in its broadest sense includes everything that is used to determine or demonstrate the truth of an assertion. Giving or procuring evidence is the process of using those things that are either presumed to be true, or were themselves proven via evidence, to demonstrate an assertion's truth...
from the scene of actress Lana Clarkson
Lana Clarkson
Lana Jean Clarkson was an American actress and fashion model. Clarkson was a native of Los Angeles County. She played roles in science fiction and fantasy movies. She was murdered by songwriter and producer Phil Spector, who was convicted of the crime on April 13, 2009.-Early life:Born in Long...
's shooting.
External links
- Dr. Henry Lee Official website
- Taiwanese news report on Lee's arrival in Taipei
- Biography (Chinese)
- Trace Evidence: The Case Files of Dr. Henry Lee