Summary

In Chapter 1, Bass was called to examine the bones of the Lindberg baby in June, 1982. He was asked to give his opinion on whether justice had been served in the ensuing trial. At this point in Bass’s life, in 1982, he was the head of the anthropology department at the University of Tennessee at Knoxville and had already founded the Body Farm.

It had been in 1932 when 20-month-old Charles Lindberg Jr. was kidnapped. Two months later, the body of a small child was located in the woods near his home. The remains were identified as belonging to the Lindberg baby because three toes on one foot overlapped. The body was cremated.

Bruno Hauptmann, a carpenter whose garage rafters had been used to build the ladder that facilitated the kidnapping, was arrested and charged with kidnapping and murder. He was convicted and died in...