[Guest]

Timmy Jones is being investigated for murder, claiming self defense in the homicide of his girlfriend's ex-boyfriend. Johnson Snipes is a witness that gave the following sworn testimony:

Last March 20, I was in Pointe-Noire, Congo. I was watching the sea crash along the shore from a cot I had set up outside my vacation rental. There were clouds off the coast, but the sun shone down on me. As time passed I watched my shadow appear on my chest and creep slowly toward my belly. I was relaxing with a cold beer from back home and got real nostalgic thinking of my time in Arizona. I grabbed a phone and called Timmy. He told me he was just leaving for dinner, that he had 9:00 reservations at The Capitol Grille with his girl and he was going to be late. My mouth watered remembering the steaks that I’d eaten there in my time. Just then, I heard commotion over the phone and Jimmy yelled “No, Don’t!” Then the line went dead.

Upon hearing the statement, Detective Donnie Wes claims that he knows for sure at least some of what Johnson told was a lie. How can he be so sure?

[Guest]

Well, it could be any number of things. Assuming this wasn't a typo, Johnson Snipes first called the defendant "Timmy" and then called him "Jimmy," so he might not even know him. Along that line of thought, perhaps Timmy paid him to give supporting information. But that's a less likely explanation.

I noted also that Timmy was going to be late for his date. Unless I'm missing the point, this is important. His girlfriend's ex wouldn't come and try to attack him after he was supposed to be gone. That would be a serious lack of planning. However Timmy being late makes it sound like he was the one planning something that took longer than he thought it would. It certainly points the finger more in his direction.

And why would Timmy hang up if someone was trying to attack him? Wouldn't he want someone to know what was going on? Plus if the ex did come in and surprise him, he would be armed, and Timmy wouldn't be. Explain how and unarmed man kills an armed man... outside of hollywood.

Now that I've finished completely overanalyzing the situation, you can tell me whether I even came close to right.

[Guest]

Here's how I see it

I used the overwhelming detail to think that it had to do with time

so I looked up stuff on google, and here's what I got

if it was 9:00 back in Arizona, then in Congo, if it is where I think it is, like, 5:00 AM in Congo

and it appears he is watching the sun setting over the sea, which, I believe is to the East, in Congo.

Which is the direction the sun sets in.

So if I got this correct (I know I didn't )

then he's saying the sun set at approx, 5:00 AM

yeah, I'm totally off

[Guest]

First, there is an eight hour time difference between Arizona and the Congo (neither recognize Daylight Savings Time). T(J)immy was going to be late for his dinner reservation at 9:00. This tells me that it is just before 9:00 pm in Arizona which means it is just before 5:00 am in the Congo. Although unusual, it not unheard of to be drinking at 5:00 am. (I've been to Vegas; I know this.) He is sitting in his cot watching the ocean. The ocean is on the west coast and so the defendant is facing west. The sun would be rising behind him casting a shadow on his own body. However, if the sun is rising, the shadow would appear to move from his belly button to his chest and not as it was described by the defendant. But all of this is irrelevant since the sun did not rise in the Congo until 6:05 am on March 10, 2007.

[Guest]

so I had half of it right? huh?

I just got the way that he was facing wrong, but like you said, that doesn't matter, cuz the sun's still not up anyhoo.

cool

[bonanova]

[1] Pointe-Noire, Congo is on the west coast of Africa. Watching the sea crash, his shadow is going the wrong way.

[2] If it's daytime in Congo, it's much earlier - not dinner time - in AZ.

[3] "Jimmy" might be a typo of "Timmy" or he might be the vic. Not sure what that's about.

[Guest]

Sorry about the Timmy /Jimmy thing. That was a typo and I didn't even see it.

You all got the rest right though. Good job. It's all about the impossibility of the timeframe and the shadow...

Maybe it would have been harder if I didn't assume there was something wrong with what he said.

[bonanova]

Sorry about the Timmy /Jimmy thing. That was a typo and I didn't even see it.

You all got the rest right though. Good job. It's all about the impossibility of the timeframe and the shadow...

Maybe it would have been harder if I didn't assume there was something wrong with what he said.

I think you kind of handed it to us.

Adding a couple other credible witnesses statements might have hidden his flaws better.

I was going to Google Earth the location anyway, tho, to see which coast it was on.

Another suggestion [not that you asked ... ]

you might have said, "as the shadows of the palms lengthened toward the shore ..." or "reached out to the surf"

and "dinner date" without saying "9:00". More subtle, and might invite subjective rather than analytical thought.

'nuff comments - I liked it - and welcome back!

Hey - and Kudos to Sandstorm [post #2], who found some things the rest of us didn't mention!