“Forensic Files” : “Sands of Crime”: Season 13: Episode 13: Separating Fact and Fiction (On the Murder of Juli Busken & the Conviction of Anthony Sanchez in Oklahoma)
From 1996 to 2011, a documentary-style television show called “Forensic Files” aired in 406 episodes on TLC (The Learning Channel). Since 2014, reruns of the original series can often be seen on CNN Headline News. Starting in 2020, a new iteration of the show called, “Forensic Files II” began to broadcast. Selling itself as a show that chronicles the solving of seemingly impossible cases through the use of forensic science, the show highlights people who are involved in these types of situations (scientists, victim’s families, prosecutors, lawyers and a whole host of others). Sometimes, although much more rarely, the show chronicles how people are exonerated by forensic evidence. Each episode is constructed to make it appear as if there are no questions about the evidence presented in the case. Like most sensational crime shows, the majority of the stories paint the alleged perpetrators as monsters and the authorities as heroes. Interestingly enough…the tagline of the show is, “No witnesses. No leads. No problem.” It’s that simple…right? Hardly.
With regards to Anthony Sanchez’s case, the episode (Season 13: Episode 13) is entitled, “Sands of Crime.” Based on the episode, one would think that this is an open and shut case. “In 1996, Juli Busken is abducted at her apartment…driven to a lake…sexually assaulted…and shot and killed…all by Anthony Sanchez. The case is miraculously solved eight years later by DNA evidence.” Successful episode…right? Hardly.
When watching the episode, there are a couple of loose ends that are glossed over…to make it seem like there is no question about Anthony Sanchez’s guilt. There is no mention of the unbelievable incompetence of the Oklahoma City Police Department Crime Lab, who handled the DNA. Joyce Gilchrist, who oversaw the specific lab that processed the DNA, was actually fired for her blatant manipulation of evidence in multiple cases to secure false convictions. There is no discussion of why the sketch constructed based on eyewitness testimony looks nothing like Anthony Sanchez. There is no discussion of why there were so many fingerprints (upwards of 40) in the car…and not a single one matches Anthony Sanchez. There is no conversation about the fact that even though Juli Busken was sexually assaulted…no DNA was found on her physical body. The DNA (allegedly, semen) was actually located on a leotard believed to belong to the victim but which she was not wearing when she was murdered. In fact, crime scene photos show her clothes intact. There was also no discussion of the footprint evidence…though they claimed Anthony Sanchez owned a pair of shoes similar to the print…they never pointed out that Anthony Sanchez’s foot was almost a size bigger than the shoe print. The bullet that was claimed to have been found…was found in an apartment that Anthony Sanchez was not living in at the time of Busken’s murder. There is no mention of the fact that Anthony Sanchez had at least six witnesses who said that he was nowhere near Norman on the night that Busken was murdered. No witnesses are brought forward to answer the question as to why the car was dropped off so close to Busken’s apartment…when Sanchez didn’t live near her apartment at the time. In addition, nobody is brought forward to explain why multiple other people have actually been fingered as the actual perpetrator. There is no discussion of the fact that Anthony Sanchez has maintained his innocence since he was first accused of the crime. Furthermore, I’ve actually talked to Anthony Sanchez and find his story to be convincing…and…perhaps more importantly…to have consistently checked out.
The discussion can go on and on…but the bottom line is that the case of Anthony Sanchez is far from the fiction that “Forensic Files” presents. In fact, I believe he’s innocent. I think you’d be wise to spend some time in the evidence before you make any conclusions. Surely, it’s important to remember that there is always a stark difference between television and real life…especially when a man’s life is at stake.
One of the lines in the show still haunts me. After the verdict, District Attorney Tim Kuykendall declared, “I hope they (the Buskins) can find some peace and comfort in knowing that someone will be held accountable for Juli’s murder.” Unfortunately, it seems that any old someone would do for Kuykendal and “Forensic Files.”
watch here: https://tubitv.com/tv-shows/447887/s13-e13-sands-of-crime
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