Victims Flashcards
What are the 3 elements of a homicide
Victim
Location
Suspect
O/C body role should be assigned to?
An experienced investigator with awareness of forensic issues
O/C body responsibilities
Body -Ensure death certified Pol265 -note medical staff who attended Scene -Secure and guard body -record observations to body -establish if body has been moved -ensure body is photographed Movement -O/C investigation given ok to move -Complete 1S file -do post mortem
O/C body must?
- Death certified by Doctor pol265
- Maintain security of body, samples, exhibits, contamination
- Secure and guard body
- Establish if body has been disturbed
- Attend post mortem
- Do sudden death file
Although not all experts will attend the scene, some areas of consideration are:
- Photos of the scene
- actions of first responders
- ID of body
- medical history
- environmental factors i.e weather
Appreciation prior to body removal, these factors include
- notification and response from coroner
- views of pathologist, ESR, crown solicitor attending scene
- Best method and route to move body to minimise contamination of scene and body
- Chain of custody of body from scene
- Safe custody of exhibits
- Family/cultural considerations
Establish if the body has been moved, if disturbed
- Do not attempt to restore the scene
- make enquiries to enable the original unchanged scene to be reconstructed / photographed
What samples can be taken from the deceased at the scene
- Larvae/insects
- DNA swabs
- loose hair, fibres, glass, paint
- firearm residue
- finger prints
prepare for body removal by?
- Body considered a scene within a scene
- O/C investigation responsible for how the removal + exam of body will happen
- body not moved without O/C authority
- Consider cultural considerations
Record details and remove body steps 1-4
1-record position of body -photos
2-Consult crime scene coordinator or O/C scene, record position before moving body
3-Record PAWDLE
4-consider health risks
Record details, remove body 4-11
5-cover body/feet/hands/head 6-ensure clothes not contaminated 7-wrap body in plastic bag 8-search underneath body 9-retain exhibits 10-obtain approval of O/C investigation to move body 11-arrange undertaker
record position of body - PAWDLE
P -Position of limbs A -Appearance of body W -Wounds and clothing D -Direction of blood trail L -Lividity E -Rigour mortis
Appreciation prior to post mortem include
- Who should attend post mortem
- Authority from coroner to conduct post mortem
- Consult pathologist
- Safe custody of exhibits
- Correct collection of exhibits
- Require specific exam/sampling based on the case
- Cultural/family considerations
The pathologists findings provide further information to drive the investigation which may include:
Purpose of post mortem
- Determine the cause(mode) and time of death
- establish how event and injuries contributed to death
- establish if weapon was used, size and nature
- determine approx height and stature of suspect
- ID victim if not known
- Negate defences
- Areas of interest for interviews
who else can attend a post mortem?
- Esr forensic scientist
- Crown solicitor
- Pathologist
- Coroner
- Doctor
- Soco
- Photos
- O/C investigation
- O/C body
Arrival at a mortuary OC body must:
- Ensure mortuary staff dont wash the body
- Body is labelled in the fridge
- retain key until required
- ensure body remains in present condition until post mortem starts
- arrange ID of body
Method of identification, consider the following
- Fingerprints
- DNA
- Dental records
- Eye examination
- Medical records
- Facial reconstruction
Where skeletal remains are found, a pathologist with forensic anthropologist can?
- Determine if they are human
- Determine age and gender
- Determine height and race of person
Pathologist must be given?
- Pol7
- MEK
- Toxicology kit
- medical records of deceased
- Photos of scene /exhibits /weapons
Taking notes
O/C body must NOT make notes of discussions concerning post mortem exams unless directed by O/C investigations or pathologist
Stripping the body
-Remove body from fridge
-remove body from body bag - exhibit
-body stripped in from of pathologist
EXHIBIT
-Police photos take before clothes removed, once removed, wounds
-Package and seal each exhibit
-Label
-Record inventory
What should a photographer be instructed to photograph at a post mortem?
- The body before stripped
- The body after stripped
- Close up of wounds / marks/ unusual features, must include a measuring scale placed in close proximity
What is the primary role of the O/C body at a post mortem
- Observe
- Document
- Deal with exhibits
Post mortem - Exhibits
- O/C body responsible for recording, labelling, packing exhibits
- All must be sealed before leaving the mortuary
