Homicide Victims Flashcards
Responsibilities of OC body?
- Ensure death certified
- maintain security and continuity of body, samples and exhibits from scene to post mortem.
- secure and guard body with dignity and respect.
- Note and record observations
- Note details of medical staff ornoyhers who have attended the victim
- Record actions taken
- Establish if body has been moved or disturbed
- Photograph in situ
- Arrange transport of body to mortuary
- Complete sudden death procedures.
- Arrange formal ID
- medical records
- attend PM
- Attend debrief with Pathologist and record findings
- Ensure cultural responsibility addressed
List factors of an appreciation before body is removed?
- notification and response from coroner
- views of pathologist, ESR and Crown attending scene
- consultation with other relevant experts
- examination or action needed before removal
- best method and route for removal.
- supervision of body removal
- chain of custody of body
- safe custody of exhibits
- family/cultural considerations
- SOP for protective clothing.
What samples might be taken from the body that would otherwise be lost or contaminated by moving the body?
- larvae and insects
- fingerprint evidence from the skin of the body
- DNA swabs
- extraneous items such as loose hairs, fires, glass, paint or other fragments
- firearm residue samples
Checklist for moving the body?
- Record Position of body
- Consider marking the body position before removal
- Record details of body position
- Consider health and safety re body handling.
- cover the bodies hands, feet and head with paper bags.
- Ensure clothing on body is not contaminated by contact with foreign objects
- Wrap body in plastic sheet and place in body bag
- Search underneath body
- Retain as exhibits all sheets, bags and materials used to transport body
- Obtain approval OC investigation to remove body
- Arrange for undertaker to remove body to mortuary.
What details should be recorded in relation to body position?
Position of limbs Appearance of body Wounds and clothing Direction of any trails of blood present on the body Lividity Extent of rigor mortis
Factors of appreciation prior to post mortem?
ID of body at mortuary
Authority of coroner
Consultation with pathologist
Safe custody of exhibits
Identifying who should attend PM
Requirement for any specific examination or sampling specific to the case
Appropriate resources (photography, exhibit packaging etc)
Family/cultural considerations
Likely requirement for second post mortem.
Primary role of OC body during PM?
To observe, document and deal with exhibits associated with the body in a structured, methodical manner.
Purpose of PM?
To determine mode and time of death
Establish how injuries and events at the scene contributed to death
Determine nature and size of weapon
Determine approximate height and stature of suspect
Provide areas of interest for subsequent suspect interviews/witness statements
Negating possible defenses
ID victim if not already established.
Who may attend a PM (S38 Coroner’s Act 2006)
Pathologist
Coroner
Assisting Pathologist if authorized by coroner
Doctor who treated deceased
A doctor, nurse or funeral director representing deceased if authorized
A doctor representing interests of suspect
Any other doctor/trainee doctor if authorized
Police
Any other person authorized by coroner.
Who should attend a PM from Police?
OC investigation OC body PM exhibits officer if required Photographer SOCO or fingerprints officer if requires ESR scientists (requires approval from coroner) Crown solicitor (requires approval)
What other experts may be consulted by OC investigation regarding PM?
Odontologist Biologist Medical illustrator Toxicologist Ballistics expert Crime scene examiner Entomologist Anthropologist DVI
What equipment should OC body have available at a PM?
MEK Toxicology kit Body label Notebook and pen for use solely during PM Exhibit schedule Pol47 Deceased person certificate pol265 Person ID pol264A Exhibit packaging supplies Protective clothing Photos from scene Exhibit numbers Exhibit labels Roll of brown paper for placing between folds of bloodstained clothing Firearms residue kit
On arrival at mortuary, what must OC body do?
Ensure staff do not wash body Label body and secure in fridge Retain key used to secure body Ensure body remains in present condition until PM Arrange formal ID
Methods of ID if visual ID not possible
Fingerprints DNA Dental records Eye examination records Medical records Personal effects Facial reconstruction
What notes should the oc body not take during PM?
The OC body must not make any notes of discussions concerning the PM unless specifically directed to by OC investigation and/or pathologist.
