Sensing Murder
Putting the psycho in Parapsychology |
Men who stare at goats |
By the powers of tinfoil |
Sensing Murder is a television crime series that ran for three seasons between 2003 and 2005, using well-known psychics, in an attempt to help with unsolved "cold-case" murders. The series was screened in the United States, Australia, and New Zealand, and based on the Danish programme Fornemmelse for mord.
26 episodes were produced for Australian and New Zealand audiences across four seasons. Despite having their participating psychics stated as "genuine" by New Zealand psychologist Nigel Latta, not a single murder investigated has resulted in any arrests with the use of these psychics. Sites such as 'Silly Beliefs' criticised Latta's conclusion, wondering if skeptics had really determined psychics were real or whether it was an extended scam by the production company. Based on the lack of tangible results from this psychic crime fighting, most skeptics have come to the conclusion that "Sensing Murder" was a scam.[1][2]
In 2010, Christchurch skeptic Tony Andrews offered NZ$20,000 to any psychic who appeared on the programme, to prove their abilities in a simple open test, not affected by cheating or personal bias. None of the psychics have yet taken up his offer.[3]