Implementing California’s First-in-the-Nation Suspicious Death Law – Joanna’s Law

This dynamic 90-minute webinar will focus on what every professional working with victims of domestic violence needs to know about detecting staged crime scenes (fatal or non-fatal) to ensure violent men do not get away with attempted murder or murder.

In this fast paced, multi-media presentation, the instructors will discuss:

• Key components of California’s SB989 – Joanna’s Law
• Why the law was necessary and how other states can replicate Joanna’s Law
• What professionals need to know about staged crime scenes
• Recommendations for Implementation
• 10 Red flag factors of staged crime scene homicides
• Lessons learned from handling multiple staged suicides and accidents
• Explain the need and the benefits to interviewing family members
• Explain the benefit for MDTs to conduct post-mortem lethality and suicidal assessments
• Share recent and current federal and state legislation, and
• Provide suggestions to improve death investigation protocols and practice

Course Objectives:

• Increase awareness about staged crimes scenes
• Review key components of SB 989 (Joanna’s Law)
• Review all 10 factors of a suspicious death in an intimate partner death case
• Share Vernon Geberth’s common mistakes made in suicide investigations
• List practical steps to overcome challenges in staged crime scenes, including developing MDTs to investigate suspicious death cases and involve family members in the process