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Question

Case 4.3
Police respond to the scene of an apparent arson incident which involved a vacant commercial office building. The fire was discovered by a passing patrol unit shortly after it had started. The initial officers on scene found all exterior doors looked and entry was forced to check for potential victims. Fire officials report signs and evidence of accelerants near each stairwell. Additionally they find an empty kerosene can outside the structure in the bushes by the property line. A premises history reveals that the property has been vacant for almost a year and has been for sale twice as long. Town records show several denied zoning and building adjustment applications over the past two years. There are numerous property maintenance violations for the property as well.

Detectives following up on the case find property owner Slim Shady uncooperative. He claims he knows nothing about the fire and that he was at home the entire night. Background investigations reveal that Mr. Shady also operates Shady Paint and Flooring Service. He owns a working van with the markings "Shady Paint and Flooring." Detectives also discover that Mr. Shady increased his insurance of the incident property six months prior to the fire.

Detectives run Mr. Shady and his vehicle through shared law enforcement data bases and discover that Mr. Shady was pulled over for speeding two towns away 20 minutes prior to the discovery of the fire. Detectives also retrieve surveillance videos from several gas stations and banks between the fire scene and his home. From these videos and time stamps detectives trace Mr. Shady and his vehicle to and from the crime scene before and immediately after the fire. At trial, this information would be considered?
a. exculpatory
b. direct
c. circumstantial
d. indirect

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