FORENSICS

RELATING TO OR USED IN LEGAL PROCEEDINGS OR ARGUMENTATION

What does “FORENSIC” mean?

Comes from Latin forens

Which comes from forum Forum—ancient Roman gathering

place for legal and public business

MEDICAL EXAMINER

All sudden or unexpected deaths and all deaths that may be due entirely, or in part, to any factor other than natural disease must be reported to the ME for evaluation

AUTOPSY

CAUSE OF DEATH NATURAL HOMICIDE SUICIDE ACCIDENT UNDETERMINED

TOXICOLOGY

STUDY OF POISONS

RIGOR MORTIS

MANIFESTS WITHIN THE FIRST 24 HOURS

DISAPPEARS WITHIN 36 HOURS

MUSCLES BECOME RIGID

LIVOR MORTIS

BLOOD SETTLES IN PARTS OF THE BODY CLOSEST TO THE GROUND

APPEAR DARK BLUE OR PURPLE

ALGOR MORTIS

COOLING OF THE BODY

INFLUENCED BY FACTORS OF THE ENVIRONMENT

BLOOD STAIN PATTERN ANALYSIS

A DROP OF BLOOD WILL FORM A PERFECT CIRCLE UNTIL SOMETHING HAPPENS TO IT

INTRODUCE AN ANGLE AND IT BECOMES A TEAR DROP SHAPE

WHAT CAN IT TELL YOU?

Position of victim/suspectEvidence of a struggleAreas where blood isn’tSequence of events—body moved?How many impacts and from what

directionWas scene altered?

Whether stains or patterns are consistent with statements

May determine other information that eliminates other avenues of investigation

DIRECTION OF TRAVEL

TARGET SURFACE

SURFACE CAN CHANGE BLOOD SPATTERING

LOW VELOCITY SPATTER—WOUND ON ARM DRIPPING

MEDIUM VELOCITY SPATTER—BLUNT TRAUMA

HIGH VELOCITY SPATTER--GUNSHOT

FORENSIC ANTHROPOLOGY

IDENTIFICATION OF THE HUMAN SKELETAL REMAINS

WHAT CAN BE DETERMINED?

AGE AT DEATH

SEX OF SKELETON

RACE AND STATURE

FORENSIC ENTOMOLOGY

STUDY OF INSECTS

90 species of blow-flys will find a body with minutes

Entomologists understand bugs life cycle and calculate the time required to get to those stages to determine time of death

FORENSIC PSYCHIATRY

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN HUMAN BEHAVIOR AND THE LAW

FORENSIC ODONTOLOGY

TEETH ARE COMPOSED OF ENAMAL, THE HARDEST SUBSTANCE IN THE BODY

HOW MANY TEETH DO WE HAVE??

ADULT-------32

CHILD-------20

ANATOMY OF A TOOTH

CROWN

NECK

ROOT

FORENSIC ENGINEERING

FAILURE ANALYSIS, ACCIDENT RECONSTRUCTION, CAUSES OF FIRES OR EXPLOSIONS

“YOU ONLY GET ONE CHANCE TO DO IT RIGHT THE FIRST TIME, SO YOU’D BETTER DO IT RIGHT. IN SHORT, IF YOU THINK OF IT—DO IT—OR HAVE A GOOD REASON WHY YOU DIDN’T. BECAUSE IF YOU DON’T, SOMEONE—WHO GETS PAID CONSIDERABLEY MORE THAN YOU AND BY THE HOUR—WILL ASK WHY

YOU DIDN’T. AND A JURY WILL BE WATCHING”