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North Carolina State University
INFORMED CONSENT FORM
Argument and Evidence Strength
Principal Investigator: Dr. Thomas M Hess
You are invited to participate in a research study. The purpose of the study is to investigate how people make judgments and the factors that influence the judgments they make.
You will be asked to complete a short survey over the internet and submit your answers upon completion. The task will be explained in greater detail at the time it is given.
The amount of time allotted to complete the study is approximately 60 minutes. You will receive 2 credits compensation for participating in this study.
There are no known risks involved with this study. The benefit we anticipate to achieve is to further our knowledge of those factors that influence decision-making and functioning in everyday life. It is hoped that you will also learn something about yourself and about factors that influence your behavior.
The information in the study records will be kept strictly confidential. Data will be stored securely and will be made available only to persons conducting the study unless you specifically give permission in writing to do otherwise. No reference will be made in oral or written reports which could link you to the study. The names of those individuals participating in this study will be maintained and kept in a file separate from the datain the Principal Investigators office for possible follow-up studies in the future.
If you have any questions at any time about the study or the procedures, you may contact the researcher, Thomas M. Hess, Box 7801, NCSU campus, or 515-1729. If you feel you have not been treated according to the descriptions in this form, or your rights as a participant in research have been violated during the course of this project, you may contact Dr. Matthew Zingraff, Chair of the NCSU IRB for the Use of Human Subjects in Research Committee, Box 7514, NCSU Campus, (919-513-1834) or Mr. Matthew Ronning, Assistant Vice Chancellor, Research Administration, Box 7514, NCSU Campus (919-513-2148). If you wish for a copy of this form, the experimenter will be happy to make one for you.
PARTICIPATION
Your participation in this study in voluntary; you may decline to participate without penalty and without loss of benefits to which you are otherwise entitled. If you withdraw from the study before data collection is completed your data will be returned to you or destroyed.
CONSENT
By clicking on the CONTINUE button below, I am certifying that I have read and understand the above information, and I agree to participate in this study.
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align="center">style="">style="font-family: "Times New Roman"; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; font-weight: normal; font-size: 7pt; line-height: normal; font-size-adjust: none; font-stretch: normal;"> Survey Instructions:
For this task you will be presented with a series of situations in which an individual is being accused of some wrong-doing. You will be given a brief description of the accusation being made, followed by several supportive pieces of information.
For each piece of information that follows, please rate style="font-style: italic;">the strength of the piece of information in establishing the individuals guilt. Beneath each statement you will find a 7 point scale ranging from Very Weak Evidence on the left and Very Strong Evidence on the right. The scales will look similar to this:
style="">Argument Strength
width="100%">
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<--------------------- --------------------->
>
Please indicate your response for each item by clicking on one of the seven buttons.
Make sure you respond to every piece of information in the survey before submitting your data.
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Jim has been accused of hitting another car with his navy blue Ford Explorer and then driving away before police could be called.
Please rate the strength of each piece of information in establishing Jims guilt.
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The right front fender and headlight on Jims Ford Explorer are smashed.
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The dent on the damaged car was at the same height as the bumper on Jims car.
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Broken glass similar to that of Jims broken headlight was found near the damaged car.
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An oil stain on the road was found starting at the damaged car and ending at Jims driveway.
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The damaged car had traces of navy blue paint where it had been hit.
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The owner of the damaged car saw a car similar to Jims speeding away just before he discovered the damage to his car.
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An eyewitness saw a navy blue Ford Explorer side-swipe the damaged car and then drive away.
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An eyewitness thought the driver of the Ford Explorer was a man with the same color hair as Jim.
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A witness remembered seeing a car with Jims license plate number around the scene of the accident.
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A next-door neighbor reported hearing the accident and going to look out her window where she witnessed a navy blue Ford Explorer driving away from the damaged car.
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A witness identified Jim from a police line-up as the man she saw driving the hit-and-run vehicle.
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The owner of the damaged car reported that the accident happened between 8 and 10 PM, a period during which Jim had driven past the scene of the accident.
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An eyewitness thought she saw a dark-colored SUV near the scene of the accident.
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Jims neighbors reported that he was not home at the time of the accident.
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Jim had been arrested for drunk and disorderly conduct in a public place one time a year before the accident.
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Jims driving record includes 3 different speeding tickets over the past 4 years.
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Jim did not have any automobile insurance.
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The car was hit about the same time that Jim drives by on his way home from work.
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A witness reported that the driver was wearing a baseball hat like the one Jim has.
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A local service station owner reported that he fixed Jims broken headlight on the night of the accident.
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A witness noticed that vehicle that side-swiped the car had a bumper sticker of Jims favorite football team.
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A neighbor reported seeing Jims car speeding down the road around the time of the accident.
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Sam is accused of driving a motor-vehicle while impaired under the influence of alcohol.
Please rate the strength of each piece of information in establishing Sam's guilt.
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An anonymous witness called the State Highway Patrol to report the license plate number of a vehicle from which beer bottles were being thrown at road signs. The plate was registered to Sam.
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A police officer reported that Sam was clocked on radar going 56 mph in a 35 mph zone.
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A police officer reported that Sam was swerving recklessly in and out of the appropriate driving lane.
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A police officer reported that on at least one occasion, Sam ran almost completely off the right side of the road.
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A police officer reported that as soon as Sam pulled over, the drivers side door opened and Sam began to vomit.
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A police officer reported that Sams breath smelled strongly of alcohol.
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A police officer reported that Sam had difficulty walking in a straight line.
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A police officer reported that Sam nearly fell over the hood of his vehicle when he asked Sam to touch his nose with his eyes closed.
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A police officer reported that Sams speech was slurred and disorganized.
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A police officer reported finding three open containers of alcohol in Sams car.
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A breathalyzer test taken by Sam indicated that his blood alcohol level was .08.
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A police officer watched Sam walk out the door of a local bar and get into the drivers seat of his car.
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A police officer pulled Sam over for driving too slow.
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A police officer pulled Sam over on the night of New Years Eve.
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A police officer pulled Sam over approximately 15 minutes after the local bars closed.
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It was Sams 21st birthday.
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Sam was seen leaving a fraternity house in which there was a big party.
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A police officer reported that passengers in Sams car were hanging out the window and yelling a people.
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A police officer reported that Sam refused to have blood alcohol levels checked with a breathalyzer, but later agreed to be tested at the police station.
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Sams driving record shows that Sam was convicted three years ago for driving a motor-vehicle while intoxicated.
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A police officer reported that every passenger in Sams car readily acknowledged that they were exceedingly intoxicated.
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A next door neighbor contends that Bob's dog attacked and injured her cat.
Please rate the strength of each piece of information in establishing Bob's guilt.
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A hole was dug beneath the fence that separates Bobs back yard from the neighbors back yard where the dog and cat were kept, respectively.
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Muddy dog paw prints were found in several locations surrounding the cats favorite nap-time spot.
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The neighbors maid reported seeing the dog struggling to squeeze under Bobs fence where a hole was found.
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The bottom edges of a hole in the wooden fence separating their yard contained bits of hair that matched the dogs fur on Bobs dog.
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The wooden fence separating the two yards was missing a board, creating an opening that the dog could squeeze through.
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The cats claws had traces of skin and fur underneath their edges that appeared to match the dogs skin and fur.
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The veterinarian reported that the bite marks found on the cat were similar in size to those that would be made by an animal that was the size of Bobs dog.
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The cats owner found bits of the cats white fur in Bobs back yard and inside his pets doghouse.
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Bobs dog becomes extremely agitated every time he hears the neighbors cat.
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Bob admitted that he knew there was a hole in the fence between the yards, and that he had not gotten around to fixing it.
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Bobs dog is half Pit Bull, half German Shepard.
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The dog has been seen wandering around the neighborhood outside of Bobs back yard without a leash by three different individuals on at least two different occasions.
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The dog has been picked up by animal control on two different occasions within the last year.
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The dog has had 3 complaints filed against him within the past five years for aggressive or threatening behavior towards other neighborhood animals.
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Several delivery men have been chased by Bobs dog in the past.
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Bob has verbally threatened the cat prior to the attack for leaving dead mice on his front door step.
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For a Christmas present the year before the attack, Bob gave his dog a stuffed chew toy that resembled his neighbors cat.
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The cats owner noticed that Bobs dog was loose and wandering about the neighborhood on the day her cat was attacked.
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The neighbor found her cat covered with what appeared to be dog saliva.
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Ever since the alleged attack, the neighbors cat runs and hides whenever it hears Bobs dog barking.
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The neighbors heard barking and commotion in the cat owners backyard on the day the attack occurred.
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John is being accused of shoplifting clothes from a local department store.
Please rate the strength of each piece of information in establishing John's guilt.
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The stores security camera recorded John trying to put clothes into his coat pocket.
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A security officer observed the defendant trying to put clothes into his coat pocket.
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A store clerk reported seeing John balling up a small shirt, but when the clerk approached to offer assistance, John returned the shirt and walked away.
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A store clerk reported seeing John enter the dressing room with several articles of clothing but come out empty handed.
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The stores alarm system went off when John tried to leave.
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John began running when the alarm sounded as he left the store.
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When John was asked by security officers why the alarm was set off, he began vehemently denying, stealing clothes, even though the officers never mentioned anything about clothes.
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Two articles of clothing were found in Johns coat pockets by security officers.
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The brand names of two articles of clothing found in Johns backpack were brands sold only in that store.
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John could not produce a receipt for two articles of clothing found in his backpack.
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The tags for two articles of clothing matching the sizes and brand names of articles worn by John were found lying on the floor in the dressing room after he left.
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John had been arrested for suspected shoplifting on one other occasion 2 years ago but was not convicted.
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A store clerk reported seeing John loitering on the premises four different times within the last week before the suspected shoplifting incident.
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A store clerk reported seeing John enter the store 5 or 6 times the day of the incident.
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Store clerks and security officers reported that John entered the store wearing a large coat.
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The security alarm was set off at the same time John and several other customers were seen passing through the security equipment near the exit.
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John, who was wearing headphones at the time, did not stop walking away when the security alarm was set off.
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John did not acknowledge the store clerks presence when the clerk was walking behind him in the noisy store and verbally requesting to see a receipt.
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Security officers reported that when they ordered John to Stop as he left the store, John continued walking away.
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Security officers reported that when asked about setting off the stores security alarm, John became belligerent, uncooperative, and extremely agitated.
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John did not allow the security officer to see what was inside the backpack that he was wearing.
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The cash register clerk on duty did not remember John being rung up.
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Another customer thought she saw John stick something in his backpack.
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Owen, a private contractor, is accused of violating an oral contract with a client. The client claims to have paid in full, but work on his outdoor shed was never adequately completed.
Please rate the strength of each piece of information in establishing Owen's guilt.
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* The client has a copy of the sheds blueprints indicating that his shed is missing the entire lawnmower storage section.
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* The hinges on the shed doors Owen installed came unscrewed within the first month of use, and have not been replaced.
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* The client has a credit card receipt for quality treated wood that Owen was supposed to use for building the shed, but he used cheap untreated wood instead.
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* The clients $1500 invoice at the lumber yard was attached to another invoice for the same quantity of wood only $1000 cheaper, and both invoices were signed by Owen on the same day.
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* The clients neighbor overheard Owen bragging to an associate about how much money he was going to make ripping the client off.
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* Owens advertisement guarantees 100% customer satisfaction, but he has refused the clients requests that he come back to fix the sheds obvious flaws.
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* Three witnesses other than the client heard the contractor agree to build all the specifications set forth by the client when they negotiated the terms of the oral contract.
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* The client has his check stub and his bank statement indicating that the contractor was paid in full, but several of the clients specifications have yet to be met.
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* A copy of the clients payment check has the dimensions, {[24W] x [12L] = 288sq.ft.} written on the line where it says, for___________ but the shed Owen built is only 200sq.ft.
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The client has a voicemail message from Owen assuring him that the work was almost finished, but Owen hasnt come back since then.
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Over the last 3 months phone records indicate that the client made over 30 attempts to contact Owen, but Owen never answered his phone or returned the clients calls.
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One of the clients neighbors reported that they think the contractor was drinking beer while he was working.
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One of the clients neighbors reported that the contractor took naps under a shady tree in the front yard.
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The shed was not built on a foundation at the height the client specified, and as a result, it floods almost every time it rains.
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The clients 10 year old daughter says she overheard Owen tell someone over the phone that the client was a, dummy head and a sucker.
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The sheds roof began leaking excessively in 3 different places within 3 months of its construction.
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The client has some messily scribbled notes that he left for Owen during the first week of construction to reiterate the terms of their agreement , but most of the notes are too messy to make out.
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The client has a bad copy of his first payment, and he claims that on the line for_________ he wrote the dimensions of the shed he requested, however, little if anything can be deciphered by anyone else.
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Both the client and Owen agree that a storage shed was to be built, but they disagree on many important details like the sheds exact dimensions and how long it should take to complete.
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A previous client of Owens reported that half of a wooden fence he built had to be replaced after one year because the wood was never treated with a sealant to repel water.
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One of the clients neighbors said she was pretty sure she heard the client tell the contractor that he wanted the roof to be almost flat, but later commented that maybe he wanted it to resemble a pointy witch hat which is the way Owen built it.
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Three witnesses observed the contractor accepting a check from the client, and then eagerly shaking hands with him while assuring total satisfaction.
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Bruce, a 13 year-old boy, was accused of vandalizing a neighbors home that was under construction by shooting out windows with a pellet gun.
Please rate the strength of each piece of information in establishing Bruce's guilt.
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* Two windows on the bottom floor of the home were shattered when shot with a pellet gun similar to one owned by Bruce.
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* Six months before the alleged vandalism took place, Bruces father gave him a pellet gun for his birthday.
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* Bruce had bought pellets for his gun two days before the vandalism occurred.
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* The pellets on the floor in the new house were similar in size and shape to those used by Bruce when he target shoots.
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* A set of bicycle tracks at the crime scene were very similar in appearance to those that would be made by Bruces bike.
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* Footprints found near the house matched Bruces both in shoe size and tread pattern.
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* A construction worker saw Bruce roaming around the construction site two days before the vandalism occurred.
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* Bruces family lives one block down the street from the lot where the new house is being built.
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* The night of the alleged vandalism, Bruce slept outside in a tent in his backyard.
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* Bruce could not produce an alibi for the night of the alleged vandalism.
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* Witnesses have seen Bruce wandering the neighborhood late at night (past 11:00pm) on several occasions.
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* Bruces pellet gun was powerful enough to break a window from 50 yards away, and when fired, the pistol makes very little noise.
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* Bruce had been suspended from school for his involvement in a fight.
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* Several kids at Bruces school said that they could imagine him vandalizing property.
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* Bruce refused to talk to the police when they questioned him about the incident.
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* The day after the incident, police found some empty pellet gun ammunition boxes in Bruces back yard.
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* Bruces baseball cap was found near the house.
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* Bruces parents acknowledge that he sometimes sneaks out at night.
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* Bruces parents found a flashlight in Bruces room the day after the vandalism occurred.
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* Bruces friends say that he brags about shooting out windows in houses and buildings.
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