The Case For Christ

citizen named Bobby Lowe told investigators he had been walking
his dog when he saw Aleman murder the union steward. Despite
Aleman's bone-chilling notoriety, Lowe agreed to back up
Almeida's story by testifying against the mobster.
THE POWER OF CORROBORATION
At Aleman's trial Lowe and Almeida mesmerized jurors with their
stories. Almeida's account of driving the getaway car dove tailed
with Lowe's straightforward description of seeing Aleman murder
his victim on a public sidewalk the evening of September 27,
1972.
Prosecutors thought they had woven an airtight case against the
feared hit man, yet throughout the trial they sensed something
was amiss. Their skepticism first surfaced when Aleman decided
against having a jury trial, opting instead to have a judge hear
his case. At the end of the trial the prosecutors' worst
suspicions were realized: despite compelling testimony by Lowe
and Almeida, the judge ended up declaring Aleman innocent and
letting him go free. What had happened? Remember, this took place
in Cook County, Illinois, where corruption so often lurks. Years
later it was revealed that the judge had been slipped ten
thousand dollars in return for the acquittal. When an FBI
informant disclosed the bribe, the then retired judge committed
suicide-and prosecutors refiled the murder charge against Aleman.
By the time the second trial was held, the law had been changed
so that prosecutors could demand that -a jury hear the case.
That's what they did-and finally, a full twenty-five years after
the murder, Aleman was found guilty and sentenced to one hundred
to three hundred years in prison.
In spite of the delays, the Aleman saga shows how significant
corroborative evidence can be. And the same is true in dealing
with historical issues. We've already heard, through Dr. Craig
Blomberg's
testimony, that in the gospels there is excellent eyewitness
evidence for the life, teachings, death, and resurrection of
Jesus. But is there any other evidence to corroborate that? Are
there writings outside the gospels that affirm or support any of
the essentials about Jesus or early Christianity?
In other words, is there any additional documentation that can
help seal the case for Christ, as Bobby Lowe's testimony sealed