International Transport Industries A small group of port workers in St. Lucia, working for International Transport Industries, an international shipping company, was being investigated concerning their involvement in a theft.
The theft itself was a rather simple operation. The port workers unloading foreign-made products from the USA and China acted in collusion with their supervisors in order to steal certain items, which they marked on official invoices as "missing" or "damaged" due to shipping. They later sold the items on the black market and split the money between the conspirators.
The fraud was discovered when FlatScreen Enterprises' Asian subsidiary contacted Watson about an unusual number of televisions that were lost during shipment from China to St. Lucia. Young Mr. Holmes, the newest member of Watson's security team, decided to simultaneously interview Mr. Smith and Mr. Johnson, two port workers, concerning their involvement in the fraud.
Never having actually met Holmes, Smith and John were simply instructed to wait in the "interrogation" room in the security shop. Smith and Johnson arrived promptly at 8 a.m., dressed in their work clothes, and were seated. Via the intercom, they were told not to leave until Holmes gave them explicit permission to do so. Holmes did not enter the room until 9:30 a.m. He was escorted into the room by a burly security guard carrying a nightstick.
Smith, annoyed at Holmes's tardiness, blurted out, "Hey, man, we have to get back to work. I'm not getting paid for time off the dock!" Holmes made no reply. He only paced the room for what seemed an eternity to Johnson. Finally, Holmes moved deliberately and directly over to a chair on Smith and Johnson's side of the table.
Holmes pulled his chair within inches of the two men being interrogated and straddled the chair so that the back of the chair supported his arms. "Smith, do you know what they did with pirates in the Caribbean?" asked Holmes.
Smith shrugged a little bit and was struggling for an answer when Holmes interrupted. "They were executed in the gallows, and then their bodies were hung in iron cages on the shores of the bay as an example to would-be thieves and pirates. Not a pretty picture, is it, Smith?"
Smith was at a visible loss for words. Pulling two pens and two pieces of paper from his coat pocket and slamming them onto the table, Holmes raised his voice and said, "Now let's cut through the crap. You port guys are guilty as hell. We've got a paper trail a mile long to prove it along with surveillance tapes and written confessions from Hill and Grant.
Do yourselves a favour and write out your confessions. If you don't, I might just have to leave you here with Bruno. And if you physically assault him and he beats you silly, well then it'll be your word against his, comprende? Oh, yeah, you'll still be under investigation for grand theft."
1. Name at least three mistakes that Holmes made in interviewing Smith and Johnson.
2. The chapters in your recommended text book, identifies some of the characteristics of a good interview. In what ways could Holmes have changed the interview?
3. What were some of the threats and claims made that Holmes could not prove? Is it ever acceptable to make a threat that involves physical violence?
4. The chapters in your recommended text identifies specific locations where interviews should take place. Is the "interrogation room" one of those places? Where should Holmes have met with Smith and Johnson?