Forensic evidence info

Status
Not open for further replies.
O

Oleg Volk

Moderator Emeritus
Joined
Dec 19, 2002
Messages
9,155
Location
Nashville, TN
Where could I get accurate information on the degree of reconstruction possible with investigations of homicide? For example, how much can be found out about people who shot at firefighters during various riots from the remaining evidence (bullets in persons, vehicles, etc).
 
Oleg,

google "forensic pathology" and you should get lots of good stuff.
 
http://home.revealed.net/whill/ - a bit on gun shot residue

http://www.waynehillsr.com/ - about Wayne Hill, Sr., who might be a good source for you - he is a gunsmith and shootist as well as a forensic reconstructionist. I have worked with him on several homicide and attempted homicide cases that involved firearms.

http://www.fbi.gov/hq/lab/fsc/backissu/april2000/schehl1.htm - fun stuff from the FBI

The FBI stopped doing lead analysis lst year, BTW, following an examination of their methodology by the National Research Council of the National Academy of Science. http://www.fbi.gov/pressrel/pressrel05/bullet_lead_analysis.htm

http://www.nap.edu/catalog/10924.html

http://darwin.nap.edu/books/0309090792/html/1.html
 
Oleg,

According to some of the shows I have seen a few minutes of on television these day, if you have so much as a shard of the bullet they fired and they actually touched it you can tell how old they are, their middle name, their favorite Spice Girl, and what they had for breakfast two weeks ago. :)
 
Depending on the quality of the evidence, one can usually determine the make and model of the bullet, the caliber and (often) make and model of the gun that fired it. Beyond this, one needs other investigatory leads of sufficient quality to obtain possession of either the suspect firearm or other exlemplar bullets fired from the suspect firearm for the firearms identification guys to determine if the suspect's firearm is a match to the bullets recovered at the scene. There are some very informative web sites. Do a search for "Firearms Identification."

Many emergency response vehicles have audio recording systems, so if there is an audio recording of the event, more can be done.

Michael Courtney
 
You might wanna look back at the coverage of the Maryland "sniper" shooting -- seems they have problems with forensice on rifle rounds, especially if they fragment.
 
Oleg

The best place to check out your questions on firearms forensics is FirearmsID.com (this may be the site Michael Courtney was thinking of). There are great illustrated explanantions there and you can even try your hand at the Virtual Comparison Microscope! It remains the best-polished and most informative site I have ever visited. The guy in charge there is Jeffrey Scott Doyle, a guy with excellent AFTE credentials and experience.

Michael Courtney nailed the basics of it in his summary. I will just add that there are two types of characteristics that are applicable to matching a cartridge component to the weapon of discharge:

1) Class characteristcs
2) Individual characteristics

The class characteristics can be referenced by the applicable database, for example a headstamp or a general rifling characteristics database. That can get you the calibre, make and model of the firearm and/or cartridge case. You don't need the weapon to establish the class of the item being tested.
For individual characteristics generally you need the suspect weapon (although there was a case where a conviction was obtained in a shooting incident where the weapon was never recovered. This involved comparing projectiles embedded in a tree IIRC, which were known to have been fired by the suspect and which were found to match the projectile retrieved from the scene/body of the victim).

Another great source of information for this subject is Vincent J.M. Di Maio's book "Gunshot Wounds." He has a fine knowledge of both the pathology and the toolmarks/technical aspects of the forensics of gunshot wounds.
 
One thing missed gentlemen and may be in the web sites recomended is evidence off the body. From that you can sometime tell angle, distance, defensive or offensive wound, etc. That is usualy covered in a firearm froensic autopsy book.
Jim
 
Remember CSI is a TV show. Do you really believe every murder in the USA is treated like that? They aren’t.
 
According to some of the shows I have seen a few minutes of on television these day, if you have so much as a shard of the bullet they fired and they actually touched it you can tell how old they are, their middle name, their favorite Spice Girl, and what they had for breakfast two weeks ago.
Click to expand...
Where to these far out rumors get started? This is NOT TRUE! Modern forensics are only capable of ruling out "Posh Spice." Some positive hits can be substantiate for "Ginger Spice."
 
Oleg:

To anyone interested in forensic science, I recommend Larry Sturdivan's book THE JFK MYTHS (Paragon House, 2005). This is the most rigorous and scientifically sound examination of all the physical evidence from the Kennedy assassination that I am aware of.

Pete
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top