Chapter 3: THE CRIME SCENE “Oh, how simple it would all have been had I been here before they came like a herd of buffalo and wallowed all over it.” —A. Conan Doyle, in The Boscombe Valley Mystery, 1892

Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company CRIME SCENE Students will learn: The steps to take when processing a crime scene. The type of evidence that determines what packaging should be used. Why the chain of custody must be preserved. Students will be able to: Isolate, record, and search for evidence at a mock crime scene. Collect and package evidence at a mock crime scene using to proper forensic procedures. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 2

CORPUS DELICTI “Body of the Crime” You must prove that a crime occurred that the person charged with the crime was responsible for the crime Top Reasons for Committing a Crime Money Revenge Emotion—love, hate, anger Source of Evidence Body Primary and/or Secondary Crime Scene Suspect(s) Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 3

Crime Scene Vocabulary CRIME SCENE: Any physical location in which a crime has occurred or is suspected of having occurred. PRIMARY CRIME SCENE: The original location of a crime or accident. SECONDARY CRIME SCENE: An alternate location where additional evidence may be found. SUSPECT: Person thought to be capable of committing a crime. ACCOMPLICE: Person associated with someone suspected of committing a crime. ALIBI: Statement of where a suspect was at the time of a crime. Source: http://www3.sc.maricopa.edu/ajs/crime_scene_technician.htm

What will evidence collected at a scene do for the investigation? Types of Evidence Testimonial evidence includes oral or written statements given to police as well as court testimony by people who witnessed an event. Physical evidence refers to any material items that would be present at the crime scene, on the victims, or found in a suspect’s possession. Trace evidence refers to physical evidence that is found in small but measurable amounts, such as strands of hair, fibers, or skin cells. What will evidence collected at a scene do for the investigation? May prove that a crime has been committed Establish key elements of a crime Link a suspect with a crime scene or a victim Establish the identity of a victim or suspect Corroborate verbal witness testimony Exonerate the innocent. Give detectives leads to work with in the case Source: http://www3.sc.maricopa.edu/ajs/crime_scene_technician.htm

Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company CRIME SCENE TEAM A group of professional investigators, each trained in a variety of special disciplines. Team Members First Police Officer on the scene Medics (if necessary) Investigator(s) Medical Examiner (if necessary) Photographer and/or Field Evidence Technician Lab Experts Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 5

CRIME SCENE INVESTIGATION Based on the scientific method and the Locard Exchange Principle, logic and forensic techniques Involves: Recognition—scene survey, documentation, collection Identification—comparison testing Individualization—evaluation and interpretation Reconstruction—reporting and presenting Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 6

Crime Scene Personnel POLICE OFFICERS are typically the first to arrive at a crime scene. They are responsible for securing the scene so no evidence is destroyed and detaining persons of interest in the crime. The CSI UNIT documents the crime scene in detail and collects any physical evidence. The DISTRICT ATTORNEY is often present to help determine if any search warrants are required to proceed and obtains those warrants from a judge. The MEDICAL EXAMINER (if a homicide) may or may not be present to determine a preliminary cause of death. SPECIALISTS (forensic entomologists, anthropologists, or psychologists) may be called in if the evidence requires expert analysis. DETECTIVES interview witnesses and consult with the CSI unit. They investigate the crime by following leads provided by witnesses and physical evidence. Source: http://science.howstuffworks.com/csi.htm

Crime Scene Investigation - Protocol Step 1: Interview The first step in investigating a crime scene is to interview the first officer at the scene or the victim to determine what allegedly happened, what crime took place, and how was the crime committed. This information may not be factual information but it will give the investigators a place to start. Step 2: Examine The second step in the investigation of a crime scene, which will help identify possible evidence, identify the point of entry and point of exit, and outline the general layout of the crime scene. Step 3: Document The third step in the protocol involves creating a pictorial record of the scene as well as a rough sketch to demonstrate the layout of the crime scene and to identify the exact position of the deceased victim or other evidence within the crime scene. Step 4: Process This is the last step in the protocol. The crime scene technician will process the crime scene for evidence, both physical and testimonial evidence. It is the crime scene technicians responsibility to identify, evaluate and collect physical evidence from the crime scene for further analysis by a crime laboratory.

PROCESSING A CRIME SCENE - Specifics Isolate and secure the scene Document the scene Search for evidence Collect and package evidence, maintaining the chain of custody Submit evidence to the crime lab Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 9

FIRST OFFICER ON THE SCENE A Assess the crime scene and assist those hurt D Detain the witness A Arrest the perpetrator P Protect the crime scene T Take notes Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 10

Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company CRIME SCENE SURVEY Walk-through—performed by the crime scene investigator, the first officer and sometimes the lead detective Purpose: Mentally prepare a reconstruction theory Note any transient or conditional evidence that could change over time. Note weather conditions Note points of entry or exit, as well as paths of travel within the crime scene Record initial observations of who, what, where, when, and how Identify special needs within the crime scene for personnel, precautions or equipment and notify superior officers or other agencies Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 11

Types of DOCUMENTATION Notes—date and time, description of the location, weather and environmental conditions, description of the crime, location of the evidence relative to other key points, the names of all people involved, modifications that have occurred and other relevant information Photography—photos of scene and surroundings, mid-range to close-up photos with various angles of each piece of evidence, photos as viewed by any witnesses. Sketches—inclusion of date, time, scale, reference points, distance measurements, names of investigators, victims, suspects, and a legend (key) Videography—allows narration (non-subjective) to be included Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 12

Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company SEARCH METHODS Line or strip method—best in large, outdoor scenes Grid method—basically a double-line search; effective, but time-consuming Zone method—most effective in houses or buildings; teams are assigned small zones for searching Wheel or ray method—best on small, circular crime scenes Spiral method—may move inward or outward; best used where there are no physical barriers Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 13

Example CRIME SCENE SKETCH Date: August 14, 2005 Criminalist: Ann Wilson Time: 11:35 am Location: 4358 Rockledge Dr, St. Louis, Mo. N Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 14

COLLECTING AND PACKAGING EVIDENCE One individual should be designated as the evidence collector to ensure that the evidence is collected, packaged, marked, sealed, and preserved in a consistent manner Each item must be placed in a separate container, sealed, and labeled Most fragile is collected and packaged first Different types of evidence require specific or special collection and packaging techniques The body is the property of the coroner or medical examiner. The collection of evidence on the body is done by that department Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 15

Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company PACKAGING Most items should be packaged in a primary container and then placed inside a secondary one. These are then placed inside other containers such as paper bags, plastic bags, canisters, packets and envelopes depending on the type and size of the evidence. For correct packaging procedure refer to FBI handbook – linked on my website Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 16

Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company CHAIN OF CUSTODY There must be a written record of all people who have had possession of an item of evidence. The evidence container must be marked for identification The collector’s initials should be placed on the seal If evidence is turned over to another person, the transfer must be recorded. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 17

CRIME SCENE RECONSTRUCTION Stages Data collection Hypothesis formation Examination, testing and analysis Determination of the significance of the evidence Theory formulation Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 18

Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company INVESTIGATORS “The wise forensic investigator will always remember that he must bring all of his life experiences and logic to find the truth. This means common sense, informed intuition, and the courage to see things as they are. Then he must speak honestly about what it adds up to.” —Dr. Henry Lee Chief Emeritus for Scientific Services and the former Commissioner of Public Safety for the state of Connecticut Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 19

THE MEDICAL EXAMINER AND THE CORONER A medical examiner is a medical doctor, usually a pathologist and is appointed by the governing body of the area. There are 400 forensic pathologists throughout the U.S. A coroner is an elected official who usually has no special medical training. In four states, the coroner is a medical doctor. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 20

MEDICAL EXAMINER’S RESPONSIBILITIES Identify the deceased Establish the time and date of death Determine a medical cause of death—the injury or disease that resulted in the person dying Determine the mechanism of death—the physiological reason that the person died Classify the manner of death Natural Accidental Suicide Homicide Undetermined Notify the next of kin Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 21

Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company THE CORPSE “The way I see it, being dead is not terribly far off from being on a cruise ship. Most of your time is spent lying on your back. The brain has shut down. The flesh begins to soften. Nothing much new happens, and nothing is expected of you.” —Mary Roach. Stiff. W. W. Norton & Company. 2003 Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 22

Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company PEOPLE IN THE NEWS Dr. Michael M. Baden is a renowned pathologist and was the Chief Medical Examiner in NY City and for Suffolk County. Dr. Baden was on the panel that investigated the assassinations of president John F. Kennedy and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. He has been involved as an expert in forensic pathology in many cases of international interest including: The remains of Tsar Nicholas of Russia and his family The Claus Von Bulow murder trial Expert witness for the defense in the O.J. Simpson trial Re-autopsy of Medgar Evers, Civil Rights leader Re-examination of the Lindberg Kidnapping and murder Autopsies of the victims of TWA Flight 800 Dr. Baden is the host of HBO’s Autopsy series and is featured on many of the crime talk shows. Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 23

Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company MORE INFORMATION For additional information on crime scene investigation, check out Court TV’s Crime Library: www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/forensics/crimescene/5.html On Michael Baden and the autopsy: www.crimelibrary.com/criminal_mind/forensics/autopsy/1.html Kendall/Hunt Publishing Company 24