Page 92 - CFDI Guide

also based on the chronology of events – people did not just reach out and touch someone. Anger,

premeditation, self-defense may variously precede the violence. Certain acts may have preceded these –
such as arguing, breaking and entering, intoxication influenced, etc. The full circumstances pre-incident to

post-incident should be investigated and concluded prior to the presentation of charges against a
defendant.

Photographs, Video and Audio Evidence

In all criminal investigations more documentation of evidence – and the review and analysis of it – is
better. One photograph may be worth 1,000 words in a physical assault, fatal or non-fatal – but only if that

photograph is taken. The documentation of injuries and patterns, clothing defects, blood spatter, etc. in
context with the decedent, other involved persons, and incident scenes is of absolute importance.

Every item of information may be important to determining locations, instruments used and not used,

persons involved and how, and movements in these dynamic situations. Persons may go from sitting down
to arguing, then to hands on mutual combat before an instrument is found and used to get the better

position in a losing fight or in self-preservation. As incidents involving blunt or sharp forced injuries often
result in bloodletting, with blood spatter as the physical evidence, additional photographs should be in the

law enforcement investigation to cover this evidence in detail. If any workup is done – such as stringing,
even more photographs – and perhaps video – should be available.

Every photograph taken should be to document evidence and tell one puzzle piece of the unfolding story
for the scene detectives and at autopsy. The manner of photography – with the incident and decedent
scenes as both three-dimensional boxes and not two-dimensional planes, is important. All perspectives

and distances must be documented at all stages of the investigation and evidence collection – from the

first responders to releasing the scene.

Evidence and Disposition
Specific to blunt or sharp forced injury incident investigations, the following evidence should be looked for,

processed, and documented:
• Instruments – including location, type and measurements, functioning status (folding blade knife),

trace evidence on the instrument (hair, blood, fibers, fingerprints), and any specific patterns – and all
in detail.

• Any evidence of blood spatter or absence (voids), including any stringing. Blood spatter should be
marked and measured.

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