History of Bloodstain Pattern Analysis

Question 1

Describe early European history which involved BPA in 1514

Answer 1

Richard Hunne(1514) – Murdered in London
• Involved in an argument with the church (ecclesiastical law vs. civil law) from 1511
• Imprisoned in Oct 1514
• Found dead in cell on 3 Dec 1514 of an apparent suicide
• Coroner (William Barnwell) investigated 5-6 Dec 1514
• Determined by the distribution of blood at the scene that the suicide was staged
• Concluded Hunnehad been murdered

Question 2

Describe early European history which involved BPA in 1893

Answer 2

Hans Gross (1893) authored - Handbook for Examining Magistrates as a System of Criminology
• A reference describing the discipline of criminalistics.
• Applied science to crime scene examination.
• Described the relevance of the shapes and distortions of bloodstains

Question 3

Describe early European history which involved BPA in 1895

Answer 3

Dr. Eduard Piotrowski (1895) authored –Origin, Shape, Direction, and Distribution of Bloodstains Following Head Wounds Caused by Blows
• Recognized the dynamic nature of blood and conducted experiments using live rabbits
• Had graphic drawings in his book
• Displayed bloodstain patterns caused by blows to blood source of rabbits

Question 4

Describe early European history which involved BPA in 1939

Answer 4

Dr. Victor Balthazard(1939) et al. authored - “Study of Drops of Blood Projected”
• “Étudedes gouttesde sang projeté” - Translation “Research on blood spatter”
• Determined that there was a ratio between the ellipse axes and the impact angle
• Information could be used in the string method of determining area of origin

Question 5

Describe early American history which involved BPA in 1953

Answer 5

Dr. Paul Kirk (1953) authored – Criminal Investigations
• First American to recognize the importance of bloodstain pattern analysis
• “No other type of investigation of blood will yield so much useful information as an analysis of the blood distribution patterns.”

Question 6

Describe early American history which involved BPA in 1955

Answer 6

Dr. Paul Kirk (1955) – Filed an affidavit in the case of Dr. Sam Sheppard –Ohio v. Samuel H. Sheppard.
• One of the first known cases of bloodstain pattern evidence in the USA to bring discipline to forefront
• Kirk provided a reconstruction in particular the use of void and cast-off patterns and stated that blood in the scene does not match the victim or the accused
• Dr. Sheppard was acquitted of the murder of his wife.

Question 7

Describe early American history which involved BPA in 1971

Answer 7

Herbert MacDonell (1971) – starts publishing following a 1969 L.E.A.A grant (Law Enforcement Assistance Administration)
• (1973) authored Laboratory Manual on the Geometric Interpretation of Human Bloodstain Evidence
• (1973) first formal bloodstain pattern analysis training course (Jackson, Mississippi)
• (1983) International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts (I.A.B.P.A.) co-founded

Question 8

Describe early American history which involved BPA in 1983

Answer 8

Bart Epstein and Terry Laber (1983)
• Began teaching
• Authored -Experiments and Practical Exercises in Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (still used today)

Question 9

Describe early Canadian history which involved BPA in 1878

Answer 9

Canada 1878 – R v. McPherson and Burke (Rape/Murder)
• 1st documented case of blood evidence in court.
• Professor William Ellis described in detail that he identified bloodstains on the suspect clothing
• Stated his opinion was that the trousers had been washed after being stained
• He was basing his finding on chemical tests for blood

Question 10

Describe early Canadian history which involved BPA in 1976

Answer 10

Canada 1976 – R v. Sparrow (Murder)
• First case of bloodstain pattern evidence in Canada
• Dr. Herb MacDonnell conducted a bloodstain pattern analysis on clothing and a vehicle
• William Leslie Sparrow was convicted of murdering Donald Graden

Question 11

How was BPA expanded upon in Canada?

Answer 11

• In the late 1970s the R.C.M.P. and the Centre of Forensic Science (CFS) began work in bloodstain pattern analysis.
• Sgt. Ross Read of the R.C.M.P. (1978) audited the bloodstain program recognition course of MacDonell
• Sgt. Moe WOLF & Cpl. Herb LEROY (1979) took Dr. MacDonell’straining course
• Six more R.C.M.P. members trained (1981)
• Dr. Fred Carter (1982) contracted by the R.C.M.P. to teach math and physics course
• Dr. Fred Carter (1989) developed software for blood drop simulation and area of origin calculations (BackTrack)

Question 12

What is the Canadian BPA approach?

Answer 12

• detailed study of the discipline
• developed courses
• exchanged files –verification
• R.C.M.P. and OPC understudy programs
• internationally accepted
1998: Northwest Bloodstain Pattern Association (NWBPA) in Edmonton, AB produced a 40hr course that was approved by the IABPA
1999: second BPA course developed at the CPC in Ottawa, ON

Question 13

What is the international involvement in BPA?

Answer 13

• IABPA Annual Training Conference
• IABPA European Training Conference (bi-annual)
• Scientific Working Group on Bloodstain Pattern Analysis (SWGSTAIN) [semi-annual meetings]
• 2014 –NIST (National Institute of Standards and Technology) forms “Organization of Scientific Area Committees”.
• BPA is represented under the “Physics & Pattern” section.