Ruth Holmes is a detective of sorts.
She has testified as an expert witness in murder and robbery trials, has assisted in picking juries and helped companies choose who to hire for what job– all by studying writing.
Holmes, a Bloomfield Hills resident and president of Pentec, Inc., is a handwriting examiner.
‘Handwriting is the landscape of the mind,? she says.
Holmes will be the guest speaker during the program ‘Handwriting: The Trail You Leave in Ink,? 7 p.m., Sept. 20 at the Brandon Township Library, 304 South St.
Named one of Michigan’s 95 Most Powerful Women in 2002, Holmes has worked on hundreds of criminal cases, including national cases involving the Washington, DC sniper and several local cases, helping convict Jeffrey Nye in the 2001 murder of Berkley resident Jessica Seabold, by analyzing his handwriting in a note about the event, and assisting in the case against McConnell Adams, Jr. and Anitra Coomer in the 1996 murder of Dr. Deborah Iverson, a Bloomfield Hills resident, by testifying about the signatures on checks that Iverson was forced to write prior to her death.
The certified document examiner, who has been in the business since 1979, was educated by studying numerous books on the subject after being passed the interest from her mother. She worked with people in the field and took every course she could on the study of handwriting.
Holmes identifies two branches of handwriting examination– personality assessment and forensic.
In forensic, she studies identity theft, anonymous letters, graffiti, forgeries and general criminal activity. This branch of study is used more scientifically. Holmes examines pressure, space, form of letters, movement, connections, and diacritics (punctuation).
‘We become detectives in the use of handwriting,? she says. ‘There are great cases. The Howard Hughes will, Hitler diaries, Mormon historical papers– all were forged documents. You compare known writing to questioned documents.?
In personality assessment, Holmes helps selects juries, working for either the prosecution or defense, determining from handwriting which potential jurors might be more sympathetic to a particular side. She also helps companies in hiring employees.
‘We want to get the right person into the job,? says Holmes, whose daughter Sarah is also a handwriting examiner and works in Pentec’s Boston office. ‘We can determine whether they would make a good accountant or good truck driver, working for banks, small companies, big companies… Handwriting adds another dimension of how well they would work in a particular job.?
Holmes explains that different handwriting styles are indicative of traits.
Round writing shows emotions, feelings, openness. Pressure writing means depth, passion, energy. Someone who has forward slanting writing usually reaches out to other people. Narrow writing is done by someone who doesn’t reveal herself.
‘When we look at a person’s handwriting we see so much potential,? Holmes explains. ‘At any age, we can point out to someone how to use their talents, skills and creativity. A lot of people are so apologetic about their handwriting. There is no apology needed for handwriting. If you understand what the strokes of the pen are saying you are in a much better position to say, I could try that.?
During the lecture at the library, Holmes will explain what the handwriting of many historical and current political figures means, including the writing of George W. Bush, Laura Bush, Bill Clinton, Donald Rumsfeld, Gloria Steinem, Eleanor Roosevelt, Prince Charles, Princess Diana, John F. Kennedy, Timothy McVeigh and Ted Bundy. She will talk about the JonBenet Ramsey case and give her opinion on handwriting from that case.
‘We hope a lot of people will come to the library and learn more about (handwriting),? says Holmes. ‘It’s a fast-paced lecture. There will be 200 transparencies of handwriting. Very often these lectures change lives. Handwriting is a great tool to understanding, personal growth and development.?
A sample of audience handwriting will also be done at the lecture. To register or for more details on ‘Handwriting: The Trail You Leave in Ink,? call (248) 627-1461 or register online at www.brandonlibrary.org.