Homicide and Serious Crime Victims Flashcards
What are the responsibilities of the O/C Body?
- Ensure death has been certified by a doctor
- Secure and Guard
- Record observations
- Record what actions have been taken regarding the body
- Note details of medical staff
- Sudden death procedures
Key areas to consider when deciding whether to bring in experts:
- Photographs
- Actions of first responders
- ID of body
- Timeframes relating to finding body
- Environmental factors
Factors to consider when deciding when to move the body:
- Views of the pathologist
- Consultation with other relevant experts
- Requirement for any examination
- Best method and route
- Chain of custody
- Cultural considerations
What samples could you take from the body that could otherwise be lost or contaminated when the body is moved?
- Larvae and insects
- Fingerprint evidence
- DNA swabs
- Fibres
- Firearm residue sample
11 steps when removing a body from a scene:
- Record position by sketch and get photos
- Consider marking position
- Record all details of position
- Consider health risks
- Cover hands and feet with paper bags
- Ensure clothing on the body is not contaminated
- Wrap the body in plastic sheets and place in body bag
- Carefully search underneath where the body lay
- Retain as exhibits, all sheets, bags or other materials used to transport
- Obtain approval from OC investigation to remove body from the scene
- Arrange contracted undertaker to remove body
Appreciation prior to post-mortem
- ID of the body at the mortuary
- Authority from the coroner to conduct post-mortem
- Consultation with pathologist
- Safe custody of exhibits
- Identifying who should attend
Primary role of O/C body during a post-mortem
Observe, document and deal with exhibits associated with the body
Examples of pathologist findings which may drive further investigation:
- Mode and time of death
- How injuries may have contributed towards death
- Nature and size of weapon used
- Height and stature of the suspect
- Negating defences
Who may attend a post mortem?
- The pathologist
- The coroner
- Doctor who treated the deceased
- Doctor, nurse or funeral director representing the deceased
- Police
- Anyone else authorised by the coroner
Police who should attend the post mortem:
- O/C investigation
- O/C body
- Exhibits officer (if required)
- Police photographer
- SOCO
Other experts who may be consulted regarding post mortem:
- DVI
- Toxicologist
- Biologist
- Ballistics expert
- Crime scene examiner
Police equipment the O/C body should take to a post mortem:
- MEK exam kit
- Toxicology kit
- Body label
- Notebook and pens
- Exhibit schedule
- Pol 47
- Firearms residue kit
5 steps for O/C body on arrival to mortuary:
- Ensure mortuary staff do not wash the body
- Ensure the body is labelled and secured in fridge
- Retain any key used to secure the body
- Ensure the body remains in its present condition
- Arrange formal ID
Methods of identification:
- Fingerprints
- DNA profiling
- Dental records
- Eye exam records
- Medical examination records
What information can a pathologist give when skeletal remains are found:
- whether the remains are actually bones
- whether they’re human
- the age, gender, height and race
What photographs should you take at the post mortem?
- the body, before it is stripped
- the body, after it is stripped
- close up photographs of any wounds, marks, internal injuries
Points the pathologist should cover during a post mortem:
- Records a description of the body
- Records the external appearance
- Uses specialist kits
Examples of exhibits you might seize during a post mortem:
- Ballistic projectiles
- Foreign items such as hairs, fibres, blood or semen
- Ligatures
What documents must the 1S file include?
- Statement relating to formal ID
- Pol 47
- Deceased person certificate
- Deceased person ID
What samples might be taken during a post mortem?
- Blood
- Stomach contents
- Head and pubic hair
- Liver
- Lungs
- Bile
12 steps to how the body should be stripped at the mortuary
- Stripped only in presence of pathologist
- Remove from fridge
- Remove from bag
- Seize and secure body bag
- Get photographer to take additional photographs
- Remove clothing and possessions
- Inventory
- Label
- Seal in separate bag
- Ensure no cross contamination
- Maintain security of body and exhibits
- Consider trace evidence
How can you respect Maori culture during a homicide?
An iwi liaison officer must be engaged as early as possible. This will support an understanding and awareness of traditions and protocols.
