Sweet Jane (CSI)
Encyclopedia
"Sweet Jane" is the twelfth episode in the seventh season
of the American
crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
, set in Las Vegas
, Nevada
.
calls Catherine
to a crime scene: a nude teenage girl lies dead in a part of town known for prostitution and drug dealing. As Catherine processes the scene, a man approaches her; Catherine quickly establishes that he is Mike Keppler, a CSI from Baltimore
who was recently hired to staff the day shift, but is temporarily working the night shift until Grissom
returns. Keppler brushes hair away from the victim's face using his bare hands, earning himself a reprimand from Catherine. As they process the scene together, they notice that the victim's body has been cleaned with alcohol and that the killer swept his footprints away with a broom, indicating that the killer is very thorough.
When they return to the lab, Keppler finds a pile of messages about missed calls from someone named Frank on his desk. Some of these messages are marked "Very Urgent". Keppler appears concerned about these messages.
Catherine and Keppler run the victim's fingerprint
s through a missing persons database and learn that she is Veronica Sorensen, a 17-year-old runaway who has been missing for two months. Sofia
breaks the news of Veronica's death to her parents, who are devastated by the news. They refuse consent for an autopsy on their daughter, but Sofia informs them that due to the criminal nature of Veronica's death, an autopsy must be performed.
During the autopsy, Doc Robbins
discovers a silvery substance on one of the victim's teeth and subcutaneous bruises on her neck. He declares cause of death to be asphyxiation by strangulation, noting that the bruises indicate that the killer choked and released Veronica at least three times before she died, consistent with sexual asphyxiation. A tox screen reveals ecstasy
in the victim's blood.
Catherine and Keppler speculate that the killer has killed before, so they search the LVPD Unsolved Homicides database for cases involving victims similar to Veronica. They discover three such cases, from 1999, 1989, and 1975. In all three cases, the victims were found posed in a position similar to the position Veronica was found in and they were never identified, rendering all the victims Jane Does.
Catherine, Keppler, Sara
, and Nick
begin to investigate the three Jane Doe cases. They realize that the killer's method has evolved over the years - Jane Doe '99 was found nude and washed (but not with alcohol, like Veronica), and Jane Doe '89 was found nude but unwashed. No suspects were ever named in either case. Jane Doe '75 was found fully clothed, and the coroner's report lists her COD as heroin overdose (unlike the other two, who died of asphyxiation by strangulation), causing Nick and Sara to speculate that the case is unrelated to the others. Keppler insists that Jane Doe '75 was killed by the same person who killed the other three and offers a possible profile
of the killer. However, Catherine reminds him that a CSI's job is to follow the evidence, and asks all three to follow up on the Jane Doe investigations.
Sara investigates Jane Doe '99 and learns that her body had traces of chloral hydrate
, a hypnotic sedative, in it. Keppler works on a geographic profile of the killer, reasoning that as the killer becomes more comfortable with killing, the locations of the bodies should spiral outward from one central point. Nick tracks down the original investigator of the Jane Doe '89 case and learns that he collected a hair from the scene which could belong to the killer. DNA analysis was unavailable in 1989, but the investigator preserved the hair, which should be in evidence storage.
Nick goes to evidence storage to retrieve the physical evidence from the 1989 case but discovers a rat nest in the box. In an effort to salvage whatever evidence he can, he searches the box and finds the now ruined hair. He also finds a strip of negatives
, apparently of photos from the original crime scene.
The body of Jane Doe '75 is exhumed and Robbins discovers that an autopsy was never performed on this victim. Upon examination, the victim is found to have been strangled and a silver amalgam
filling is found on one of her teeth. Robbins remembers a similar filling in Veronica's mouth, and Catherine recalls the chloral hydrate in Jane Doe '99, noting that it was once used by dentists to sedate patients. Jane Doe '89 is also exhumed, and a silver filling is found in her mouth. They speculate that the killer is a dentist and search a database for dentists in the area who have been in business since at least 1975.
They find one dental clinic that fits the geographic profile Keppler worked on earlier. Upon visiting the clinic, Catherine and Keppler learn that Veronica's dentist was a Dr. David Lowry and they question him. They show him pictures of the three Jane Does and their teeth, but Dr. Dave denies any recollection of these women.
Meanwhile, Nick has been working to enhance the pictures on the film strip he found. He enhances a picture of a bruise and finds a clear image of a bite mark. Catherine and Keppler return to the clinic with a court order for an impression of Dr. Dave's bite. As he prepares the mold for the impression, Dr. Dave questions the validity of forensic dentistry
, noting that teeth migrate throughout a person's life. Later, Catherine and Keppler compare Dr. Dave's bite impression to the bite mark from the photograph and discover that they do not match.
Dr. Dave is called in to the police station for questioning. Keppler and Brass confront him with medical records that prove he had cosmetic surgery to correct his teeth. Comparisons of his pre-surgery X-rays with the bite mark in the photograph show a perfect match. Keppler and Brass then ask Dr. Dave to volunteer the names of the three Jane Does, suggesting that he can avoid the death penalty by doing so. However, Dr. Dave claims that by revealing the names, his memories of the killings will be tarnished, and his memories are all that he has left. He expresses no remorse over his deeds, only disappointment at having been caught.
At the end of the episode, Keppler calls Frank. Catherine drops Lindsey off at school and watches her thoughtfully.
submitted this episode for consideration in the category of "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
" on his behalf for the 2007 Emmy Awards
.
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation (season 7)
The seventh season of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation premiered on CBS on September 21, 2006 and ended May 17, 2007.-Notable cast members:-Episodes:-References:...
of the American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation
CSI: Crime Scene Investigation is an American crime drama television series, which premiered on CBS on October 6, 2000. The show was created by Anthony E. Zuiker and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer...
, set in Las Vegas
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
, Nevada
Nevada
Nevada is a state in the western, mountain west, and southwestern regions of the United States. With an area of and a population of about 2.7 million, it is the 7th-largest and 35th-most populous state. Over two-thirds of Nevada's people live in the Las Vegas metropolitan area, which contains its...
.
Summary
BrassJim Brass
James "Jim" Brass is a fictional character from the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by Paul Guilfoyle. Jim appeared in every episode, with exception of "Felonious Monk" from season two, "Gum Drops" and "The Unusual Suspect" from season six, "Leaving Las Vegas" from season...
calls Catherine
Catherine Willows
Catherine Willows is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by Marg Helgenberger, who has received two Emmy nominations and two Golden Globe nominations for the role...
to a crime scene: a nude teenage girl lies dead in a part of town known for prostitution and drug dealing. As Catherine processes the scene, a man approaches her; Catherine quickly establishes that he is Mike Keppler, a CSI from Baltimore
Baltimore
Baltimore is the largest independent city in the United States and the largest city and cultural center of the US state of Maryland. The city is located in central Maryland along the tidal portion of the Patapsco River, an arm of the Chesapeake Bay. Baltimore is sometimes referred to as Baltimore...
who was recently hired to staff the day shift, but is temporarily working the night shift until Grissom
Gil Grissom
Dr. Gilbert "Gil" Grissom, is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by William Petersen. Grissom was a forensic entomologist and the night-shift supervisor of the Clark County, Nevada CSI team, investigating crimes in and around the city of Las Vegas...
returns. Keppler brushes hair away from the victim's face using his bare hands, earning himself a reprimand from Catherine. As they process the scene together, they notice that the victim's body has been cleaned with alcohol and that the killer swept his footprints away with a broom, indicating that the killer is very thorough.
When they return to the lab, Keppler finds a pile of messages about missed calls from someone named Frank on his desk. Some of these messages are marked "Very Urgent". Keppler appears concerned about these messages.
Catherine and Keppler run the victim's fingerprint
Fingerprint
A fingerprint in its narrow sense is an impression left by the friction ridges of a human finger. In a wider use of the term, fingerprints are the traces of an impression from the friction ridges of any part of a human hand. A print from the foot can also leave an impression of friction ridges...
s through a missing persons database and learn that she is Veronica Sorensen, a 17-year-old runaway who has been missing for two months. Sofia
Sofia Curtis
Sofia Curtis is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by British actress Louise Lombard.-Background:Sofia was introduced in the season five episode "Formalities"...
breaks the news of Veronica's death to her parents, who are devastated by the news. They refuse consent for an autopsy on their daughter, but Sofia informs them that due to the criminal nature of Veronica's death, an autopsy must be performed.
During the autopsy, Doc Robbins
Al Robbins
Dr. Albert "Al" Robbins M.D. is a fictional medical doctor in the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by actor Robert David Hall...
discovers a silvery substance on one of the victim's teeth and subcutaneous bruises on her neck. He declares cause of death to be asphyxiation by strangulation, noting that the bruises indicate that the killer choked and released Veronica at least three times before she died, consistent with sexual asphyxiation. A tox screen reveals ecstasy
Methylenedioxymethamphetamine
MDMA is an entactogenic drug of the phenethylamine and amphetamine class of drugs. In popular culture, MDMA has become widely known as "ecstasy" , usually referring to its street pill form, although this term may also include the presence of possible adulterants...
in the victim's blood.
Catherine and Keppler speculate that the killer has killed before, so they search the LVPD Unsolved Homicides database for cases involving victims similar to Veronica. They discover three such cases, from 1999, 1989, and 1975. In all three cases, the victims were found posed in a position similar to the position Veronica was found in and they were never identified, rendering all the victims Jane Does.
Catherine, Keppler, Sara
Sara Sidle
Sara Sidle is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by actress Jorja Fox. Sidle is a forensic scientist and one of the core characters of the show, which revolves around a crime scene investigation team from Clark County, Nevada that investigates...
, and Nick
Nick Stokes
Nicholas "Nick" Stokes is a fictional character on the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, portrayed by George Eads. Nick has appeared in every episode except for "Blood Lust" from season three, "Jackpot" and "Butterflied" from season four, "Committed" from season five, and "Spellbound"...
begin to investigate the three Jane Doe cases. They realize that the killer's method has evolved over the years - Jane Doe '99 was found nude and washed (but not with alcohol, like Veronica), and Jane Doe '89 was found nude but unwashed. No suspects were ever named in either case. Jane Doe '75 was found fully clothed, and the coroner's report lists her COD as heroin overdose (unlike the other two, who died of asphyxiation by strangulation), causing Nick and Sara to speculate that the case is unrelated to the others. Keppler insists that Jane Doe '75 was killed by the same person who killed the other three and offers a possible profile
Offender profiling
Offender profiling, also known as criminal profiling, is a behavioral and investigative tool that is intended to help investigators to profile unknown criminal subjects or offenders. Offender profiling is also known as criminal profiling, criminal personality profiling, criminological profiling,...
of the killer. However, Catherine reminds him that a CSI's job is to follow the evidence, and asks all three to follow up on the Jane Doe investigations.
Sara investigates Jane Doe '99 and learns that her body had traces of chloral hydrate
Chloral hydrate
Chloral hydrate is a sedative and hypnotic drug as well as a chemical reagent and precursor. The name chloral hydrate indicates that it is formed from chloral by the addition of one molecule of water. Its chemical formula is C2H3Cl3O2....
, a hypnotic sedative, in it. Keppler works on a geographic profile of the killer, reasoning that as the killer becomes more comfortable with killing, the locations of the bodies should spiral outward from one central point. Nick tracks down the original investigator of the Jane Doe '89 case and learns that he collected a hair from the scene which could belong to the killer. DNA analysis was unavailable in 1989, but the investigator preserved the hair, which should be in evidence storage.
Nick goes to evidence storage to retrieve the physical evidence from the 1989 case but discovers a rat nest in the box. In an effort to salvage whatever evidence he can, he searches the box and finds the now ruined hair. He also finds a strip of negatives
Negative (photography)
In photography, a negative may refer to three different things, although they are all related.-A negative:Film for 35 mm cameras comes in long narrow strips of chemical-coated plastic or cellulose acetate. As each image is captured by the camera onto the film strip, the film strip advances so that...
, apparently of photos from the original crime scene.
The body of Jane Doe '75 is exhumed and Robbins discovers that an autopsy was never performed on this victim. Upon examination, the victim is found to have been strangled and a silver amalgam
Amalgam (dentistry)
Amalgam is an alloy containing mercury. The term is commonly used for the amalgam employed as material for dental fillings, which consists of mercury , silver , tin , copper , and other trace metals...
filling is found on one of her teeth. Robbins remembers a similar filling in Veronica's mouth, and Catherine recalls the chloral hydrate in Jane Doe '99, noting that it was once used by dentists to sedate patients. Jane Doe '89 is also exhumed, and a silver filling is found in her mouth. They speculate that the killer is a dentist and search a database for dentists in the area who have been in business since at least 1975.
They find one dental clinic that fits the geographic profile Keppler worked on earlier. Upon visiting the clinic, Catherine and Keppler learn that Veronica's dentist was a Dr. David Lowry and they question him. They show him pictures of the three Jane Does and their teeth, but Dr. Dave denies any recollection of these women.
Meanwhile, Nick has been working to enhance the pictures on the film strip he found. He enhances a picture of a bruise and finds a clear image of a bite mark. Catherine and Keppler return to the clinic with a court order for an impression of Dr. Dave's bite. As he prepares the mold for the impression, Dr. Dave questions the validity of forensic dentistry
Forensic Dentistry
Forensic dentistry or forensic odontology is the proper handling, examination and evaluation of dental evidence, which will be then presented in the interest of justice. The evidence that may be derived from teeth, is the age and identification of the person to whom the teeth belong...
, noting that teeth migrate throughout a person's life. Later, Catherine and Keppler compare Dr. Dave's bite impression to the bite mark from the photograph and discover that they do not match.
Dr. Dave is called in to the police station for questioning. Keppler and Brass confront him with medical records that prove he had cosmetic surgery to correct his teeth. Comparisons of his pre-surgery X-rays with the bite mark in the photograph show a perfect match. Keppler and Brass then ask Dr. Dave to volunteer the names of the three Jane Does, suggesting that he can avoid the death penalty by doing so. However, Dr. Dave claims that by revealing the names, his memories of the killings will be tarnished, and his memories are all that he has left. He expresses no remorse over his deeds, only disappointment at having been caught.
At the end of the episode, Keppler calls Frank. Catherine drops Lindsey off at school and watches her thoughtfully.
Awards
Ned BeattyNed Beatty
Ned Thomas Beatty is an American actor who has appeared in more than 100 films and has been nominated for an Academy Award, two Emmy Awards, an MTV Movie Award for Best Villain and a Golden Globe Award; won a Drama Desk Award....
submitted this episode for consideration in the category of "Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series
Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor - Drama Series
This is a list of winners of the Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Guest Actor in a Drama Series, and Outstanding Guest Supporting Actor.-Award winners:1970s*1975: Patrick McGoohan – Columbo: By Dawn's Early Light...
" on his behalf for the 2007 Emmy Awards
59th Primetime Emmy Awards
The 59th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards were held at the Shrine Auditorium in Los Angeles, California on September 16, 2007 and were televised live on Fox at 8:00 p.m. EDT for the first time in high definition...
.
Trivia
- Some CSI crew protested (successfully) against the original plan for a new title sequence for the Keppler episodes that read: Starring Marc VannMarc VannMarc Vann , is an American actor. He is known for his role as Conrad Ecklie in the CBS television series, CSI: Crime Scene Investigation. Although this role as the agitator of Gil Grissom has earned the character the dislike of CSI fans, Vann himself has a small, but growing fanbase...
, Marg HelgenbergerMarg HelgenbergerMary Marg Helgenberger is an American film and television actress known for her roles as Catherine Willows in the CBS drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, and as K.C...
, Gary DourdanGary DourdanGary Robert Dourdan is an American actor. He is best known for portraying Warrick Brown on the television series CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.-Early years:...
, Jorja FoxJorja FoxJorja-An Fox , is an American actress, musician and songwriter. She first came to prominence as a guest star on the television drama ER, portraying the recurring role of Dr. Maggie Doyle from 1996 to 1999. This was followed by another critical success in the recurring role of Secret Service Agent...
, George EadsGeorge EadsGeorge Coleman Eads III is an American actor, best known for his role as Nick Stokes on the CBS crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.-Early life:...
, Eric SzmandaEric SzmandaEric Kyle Szmanda is an Polish American actor. He portrays Greg Sanders in the television crime drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation, a role he has held since the show began in 2000.-Early life and education:...
, Louise LombardLouise LombardLouise Lombard is an English actress.-Early life and education:Lombard's parents left Dublin in the mid-1950s. Lombard was born in London, England, the fifth child of seven siblings to a family of Irish extraction.Lombard began taking drama lessons when she was eight...
, Robert David HallRobert David HallRobert David Hall is an American actor, best known for his role as coroner Dr. Albert Robbins M.D. on the television show CSI: Crime Scene Investigation.-Biography:...
with Paul GuilfoylePaul GuilfoylePaul Guilfoyle is an American television and film actor. He is currently a regular cast member of the forensic television drama CSI: Crime Scene Investigation where he plays Captain Jim Brass.-Early life:...
and Liev SchreiberLiev SchreiberIsaac Liev Schreiber , commonly known as Liev Schreiber, is an American actor, producer, director, and screenwriter. He became known during the late 1990s and early 2000s, having initially appeared in several independent films, and later mainstream Hollywood films, including the Scream trilogy of...
as Michael Keppler - The bus station used in the opening and closing scenes, showing the arriving girls, is in fact the Hollywood PalladiumHollywood PalladiumThe Hollywood Palladium is a theater located at 6215 Sunset Boulevard in Hollywood, California. It was built in a Streamline Moderne, Art Deco style and includes an 11,200 square foot dance floor with room for up to 4,000 people.-History:...
, a well known Los Angeles landmark. - The song "Sweet JaneSweet Jane"Sweet Jane" is a song by The Velvet Underground, originally appearing on their 1970 album Loaded. The song was written by band's leader Lou Reed, who continued to incorporate the piece into live performances years later as a solo artist....
" appears two times in the episode, first The Velvet UndergroundThe Velvet UndergroundThe Velvet Underground was an American rock band formed in New York City. First active from 1964 to 1973, their best-known members were Lou Reed and John Cale, who both went on to find success as solo artists. Although experiencing little commercial success while together, the band is often cited...
original at the beginning of the episode while The Cowboy Junkies cover at end.
External links
- "Sweet Jane" at CSI Guide.com
- "Sweet Jane" at CSI Files
See also
- List of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation episodes
- The Vampire RapistWayne BodenWayne Clifford Boden was a Canadian serial killer and rapist active between 1969 and 1971. He was raised in Dundas, Ontario, near Hamilton. He earned the nickname "The Vampire Rapist" because he had the penchant of biting the breasts of his victims, a modus operandi that led to his conviction due...