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/suspect Evidence of a struggle Areas where blood isn’t Sequence of events—body moved? How many impacts and from what direction Was 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 CHILD

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”