Murder Victim’s Ex-husband Claims Police Harassment for Refusing Polygraph

Brian Arrington of the Gloucester County, New Jersey Times reports in an article titled “Murder victim’s ex: Don’t harass me.” Excerpt:

Since his ex-wife, Jennifer Whipkey, was murdered in May, the 23-year-old says he has been trailed, threatened and harassed by police who are attempting to coerce him into taking a lie detector test.

“They are basically telling me if that I don’t take this test they are going to make it hard for me around town,” he said. “I thought we were supposed to be innocent until proven guilty. They’re treating me like a criminal.”

[Adam] Whipkey, a laid-off construction worker, said he didn’t kill the mother of his 4-year-old daughter and that he has cooperated with police. He has taken a DNA test he said proves his innocence. He said he has answered all their questions. But it seems every time the leads dry up, police are back at his door.

Whipkey said he is going to press charges against the West Deptford Police Department and the County Prosecutor’s Office for harassing him. He is meeting with authorities today.

He said he won’t take a polygraph test. He said it’s not because he has something to hide, but because it s not admissible in court and not 100 percent accurate.

Adam Whipkey is smart to refuse a polygraph “test.” Polygraphy has not been proven through peer-reviewed research to reliably differentiate between truth and deception at better-than-chance levels under field conditions.

Update 7 March 2021: Adam Whipkey did not kill his ex-wife. In 2008, DNA evidence implicated Brian Mertz, who was ultimately convicted of first degree murder in the killing of Jennifer Whipkey and sentenced to 50 years’ imprisonment.

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