Page 6 - Forensic News Journal Oct Nov 2017

Physical Evidence

as changes in a deceased and interpret these con- triers of fact to follow.
body, which should be nections.
noted for estimations of Pattern evidence can be

time of death. Unpredict- Transitional evidence easily overlooked, espe-
able effects occur as well, is fleeting in nature and cially when investigators F

for example life- sav- sometimes ignored. A are focused on collecting O
ing efforts by emergency simple odor or distinct tangible evidence. We R
medical services. Cloth- temperature change can all know to “look up” for E

ing may be torn or inad- be diluted or go unnoticed spatter evidence, but how N
vertently stained, which at a busy crime scene. often are we reminded S

could render them useless Something seemingly to imagine a “top-down” I
for reconstructive pur- so minute in relevance, view, prior to collecting? C
poses, unless noted by the however, may uncon- Think of each room or

first and subsequent re- sciously drive a respond- area as multi-layered. The M
sponding law enforcement ing officer’s actions. A top layer will contain the E

personnel. Ultimately, systematic walk-through most recent potential evi- T
investigators rely not only may become erratic, due dence followed by subse- H
on experience and train- to seeking the source of quent layers. For exam- O

ing, but also known effects the transitional evidence. ple, a victim’s statement D
of time and environmental Without notes and im- may include details of a O

conditions when evaluat- ages, a person’s recollec- struggle with the perpe- L
ing potential evidence. tion months or years later trator, which in turn, will O
By doing so, relationships might seem incomplete, explain overturned furni- G

among evidence are easier if not questionable. Also, ture and divulge possible Y
to recognize, increasing documenting the date, locations of latent prints.

their interpretive value for time, approximate temper-
crime scene reconstruc- ature and weather should Blood spatter patterns tell
tion. The importance of be updated throughout the more than directionality

crime scene documenta- crime scene processing. and estimations of impact
tion cannot be overempha- These simple notations velocity. They also reveal

sized. Evidence related will make recreating the the presence or absence
linkages are not always setting for the crime scene of objects or persons. For
immediately apparent; a and reconstruction scenar- instance, incomplete pat-

bird’s eye view is some- ios seem effortless, mak- terns can be the result
times necessary to process ing it easier for jurors and of a person or object in

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