Victims Flashcards
Responsibilities of the OC Body
- Complete sudden death procedures
- Deceased person certificate
- Deceased person formal ID
- note and record observations
- establish if the body has been moved
maintain security of the body, samples and exhibits - attend post mortem
attend post mortem debrief
Crime scene attendance
The OC investigation will determine whether the pathologist and/or crown solicitor are to view the body in situ to gain an understanding
Briefing experts
- Photographs and videos
- what actions have been taken by first responders
- identification of the body
- history of the body
- environmental factors
Appreciation prior to removing the body
- Notification to and from the coroner
- further examination required
- safe custody of exhibits
- best method of removal
- transportation
- family and cultural considerations
- views of pathologist, ESR, crown
- views of other experts
If the body has been moved?
- Do not attempt to restore to its original position
- Make enquiries to enable the original unchanged scene to be reconstructed and photographed
Samples at the scene. should not be taken without consultation with ESR, pathologist OC etc what evidence might you sample
- larvae and insects
- finger prints
- DNA swabs
- extraneous items, fluids, glass,
Recording details before removing the body
- Recording the position of the body
- Marking the position of the body, measuring the distance to two nearby fixtures
- record the position including the position of the limbs, appearance, wounds etc
- consider what health hazards are present
Appreciation prior to post mortem
- ID of the body
- authority from the coroner
- consultation with pathologist
- safe custody of exhibits
- who should attend
- appropriate resources for packaging exhibits
- family / cultural considerations
Primary role of the OC body during post mortem
The primary role of the OC body during a post mortem is an observer and to deal with the exhibits relating to the body in a structured and methodical manner
Purpose of a post mortem
Establish the cause of death and findings ,ay include:
- mode and time of death
- nature and size of any weapons
- height and stature of the suspect
- how injuries contributed to death
- ID the victim
Who attends the post mortem
- pathologist
- coroner
- anyone authorised by the pathologist
- doctor who treated the deceased
- Police
What Police attend the post mortem
- OC investigation
- OC body
- OC body exhibits officer (if authorised)
- Police photographer
- Soco
Other experts ?
- Odontologist
- biologist
- entomologist
- toxicologist
- ballistics expert
OC body must collect Police equipment for postmortem including
- MEK
- Toxicology kit
- firearms residue kit
- Pol 47
- deceased person certificate
- deceased person formal id certificate
- exhibti packaging
- protective clothing
Why use a Iwi liaison officer?
Iwi liaison officer must be deployed as early as possible. This will support an understanding and awareness of Maori traditions, beliefs and protocols and enhance relations between the investigation and family and the maori community
On arrival at the mortuary
5 steps
- ensure staff do not wash the body
- put the body in the fridge
- retain fridge key
- ensure body remains in its present condition
- arrange formal ID
What’s important when carrying out formal ID
It is important that those carrying out formal ID are fully informed of what is required of them and what to expect to see when they view the deceased particularly after post mortem
Methods of identification
- DNA profiling
- fingerprinting
- dental records
- eye records
- facial reconstruction
Information from skeletal remains
- whether remains are bones
- whether remains are human
- height, gender, age, race
Briefing the pathologist - supplied with information and material
- Pol 47
- MEK
- toxicology kit
- photos
- medical records
Stripping the body
Stripping the body will occur immediately before post mortem and usually after a general visual examination before stripping
Stripping body 4 steps
- Must be stripped in the presence of the pathologist
- remove the body from the fridge
- remove the body from the bag
- tale possession of the bag and sheets etc
- photographer
OC body must ensure the photographer takes sufficient photos
- before the body is stripped
- after the body is stripped
- close up photos of scars, wounds, injuries, unusual features and with a measuring scale in proximity
Other photographic records
- CT scans
- X rays
Useful for cases of blunt force trauma, projective pathways, badly burnt or decomposed bodies
Fingerprinting the body
OC must ensure fingerprints are taken when required. usually done after the pathologist has examined the hands and collected relevant evidence
Points the pathologist should cover
- Records the description of the body ( height, weight, build)
- records the appearance of the body (scars, injuries)
- uses specialist kits like MEK, toxicology, firearms residue kit
OC body is responsible for exhibits
The OC body is responsible for recording, packaging, and labeling exhibits relating to the body including samples. All exhibits must be sealed before leaving the mortuary
Examples of exhibits of mutual interest to the pathologist
- ligatures
- foreign items (hairs, fibres)
- ballistic projectiles
OC body to hand OC exhibits
- Post mortem exhibit schedule
- OC body notebook
- OC body formal statement
Sudden death file must include
- Pol47
- deceased person cert
- deceased person formal id
- statement of formal id
Second post mortem
- pathologist unable to determine cause of death
- suspects lawyer is authorized to conduct independent examination
- Solicitor general makes an applicant to the high court
