Forensic Anthropology Flashcards
Define forensic anthropology
A subfield of anthropology
Focused on the life, death and post-life history of an individual, reconstructed from analyzing their skeletal remains and the context in which they are located
What type of remains could be involved in a forensic anthropological case?
Remains that are unrecognizable by virtue or being burnt, fragmented, decomposed or partially decomposed
How far is the scope of cases involving forensic anthropology?
One individual to serial killer to mass fatalities
When was forensic anthropology first used in ON?
1977
Describe the practice of forensic anthropology.
Work with police to search for bodies, body parts and graves in forensic contexts
Recover remains
What are the key functions of forensic anthropology?
Identification as human
Excavation
Evidence collection
What do forensic anthropologists do once remains are recovered?
Conduct a skeletal examination
What does a skeletal examination consist of?
Biological profile
Trauma analysis
Taphonomy analysis
What characteristics are included in a biological profile?
Age, ancestry, height, sex
What is taphonomy analysis?
Determining what happened to body after death
What are the two most common subjects of forensic anthropological testimony?
Identity
Trauma analysis
What are the three main types of trauma analyses conducted by forensic anthropologists?
Nature of injury
Determining sequence and number of injury events
Determine class or individualizing characteristics of the weapon(s) used
What is the limitation of trauma analysis in forensic anthropology?
Will only be able to identify trauma if it occurred at the level of bones
What is a limitation to weapon analysis of forensic anthropology?
Can only assess weapon characteristics if weapon leaves an imprint on bone
What is ancestry?
Portion of a person’s genetic makeup that relates to their family’s origins
What is race?
Cultural construct that reflects beliefs and attitudes about different groups of people which are often associated with specific physical characteristics.
Why can’t race be assessed from the skeleton?
Refers to aspects of an individual’s socio-political or cultural identity
What is ethnicity?
Groups of people who identify with one another on the basis of language, religion or other cultural characteristics.
Briefly describe the case of R. v. Hamilton.
Police investigation into missing persons case
Hamilton targeted in undercover op
Admission: Shot the victim and their dog, set fire to the body in burn pit. Parts not completely burned scattered
How was forensic anthropology used in R. v. Hamilton?
Forensic anthropologist identified charred human and dog bone fragments in burn pit and 13 human bones around Hamilton’s property
Details provided to undercover officers = confirmed
Admission = reliable
What was the key issue in R. v. Hamilton?
Did Hamilton act in self-defence?
Describe the case of R. v. Robert Pickton
Unprecedented 21-month-long excavation of Pickton’s pig farm, for the remains of missing women from Vancouver’s Downtown Eastside
Describe how large the case of R. v . Robert Pickton was.
129 witnesses
1.3 million pages of documents
Describe the process of admission for the Jane Doe bones in the Pickton trial.
Crown sought to tender the bones of Jane Doe as similar fact evidence.
Initially held it was admissible.
Defence applied for reconsideration, which was granted for failing to provide “some evidence” linking Pickton to the similar act.
On appeal: trial judge erred. There was indeed “some evidence”
What is similar fact evidence?
Exception to the rule against the Crown introducing bad character evidence.
What is the standard for SFE?
Balance of probabilities
Describe the analysis of SFE.
Probative value v. prejudicial effect
Relies upon existence of “some evidence” to advance the argument in question.
What was the “some evidence” linking Pickton to the Jane Doe Bones? (3)
Location of the Jane Doe heel and rib bones were found in close proximity to Pickton’s residential trailer and the slaughterhouse
Location of the Jane Doe bones found in close proximity to the butchered remains of the six victim named in the Indictment
DNA match between the Jane Doe heel and rib bones and the partial skull found in Mission
What was the Crawford bone evidence in the Pickton trial?
Piece of long bone recovered from Pickton’s property linked by DNA to Wendy Crawford
What was the defence argument against the Crawford evidence in the Pickton trial?
(1) Crown failed to establish that the bone represented Crawford’s remains
(2) It was not sufficient evidence to allow a reasonable jury to conclude Pickton murdered Crawford
(3) The evidence introduced “considerable moral prejudice”
Trial fairness also identified as an issue because the bone was destroyed, undermining the defence’s ability to have the bone analyzed by their own expert
What was held by the trial judge re: crawford bone evidence at the Pickton trial?
Inadmissible
What did the BCCA hold about the Crawford bone evidence in the Pickton trial?
Admissible, ample evidence linking Pickton to the SFE
What did the BCCA hold about the trial judge in the Pickton trial in relation to the Crawford bone evidence?
TJ erred by applying a more stringent test than the some evidence standard and went beyond his role.
Describe the process of the Lac-Megantic disaster.
Searchers find what they believe might be human remains.
Confirmed by forensic anthropologist,
If they are human, coroner is called so removal and ID process can begin.
How did the Lac-Megantic disaster differ from a typical housed fire?
In typical house fire, bodies might not be badly burned.
In this disaster, bodies burned for many hours, remains predominantly bone.
Fuel: crude ol.
What must be done to confirm a victim’s identity?
Two forensic methods should be used and should result in the same answer.
What were the primary methods of ID in the Lac-Megantic disaster?
DNA analysis and dental records.
What were the 6 key issues identified by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada’s Railways Investigation Report into the Lac-Megantic disaster?
- Fire caused by inadequate repair to lead locamotive
- Breaking force insufficinet, particularly in hand brake
- Tank cars built to older standard, no enhanced saftey features.
- MMA reactive rather than proactive
- Transport Canada did not always follow up on reports of risk at MMA, which were frequent.
- Oil in tank cares were more volatile than described.
What was the forensic anthropology defence sought to introduce in R. v. Brown?
Photoanthropometric testimony in relation to videdo evidence depicting the perpetrators of a fatal shooting.
What was the ultimate issue in R. v. Brown?
Identity of the men in the video,
What was held about the forensic anthropology evidence in R. v. Brown?
Admissible
Why did the trial judge in R. v. Brown rule the forensic anthropology evidence admissible?
Frailties not so significant to render it inadmissible, could be addressed in cross and charge to jury.
What was the result of R. v. Brown?
Brown and Francis found guilty. Grant acquitted.
