Estimating Time of Death by Circadian Rhythm
Researchers have recently found that they could estimate a healthy person’s time of death, with accuracy to within a few hours, by analyzing the activity levels of a set of genes within certain regions of the deceased brain. In normal and healthy brains, this gene activity “clock” changes in response to the different times of day, and can show which genes were most recently active before the individual passed away. However, people with severe depression have a disrupted “biological clock” that makes it seem as if they are living in a different time zone to the rest of the healthy population, throwing off this established correlation. University of Michigan’s Dr. Jun Li describes that the daily cycles of depressed individuals “are not only shifted, but also disrupted,” which further throws off the accuracy of the time of death estimation.
Source: forensicmag.com
[Abstract by ForensIQ Intern – Mark Lombard]
Citation:
Connor, S. The Independent. New forensic technique for estimating time of death by checking internal clock of the human brain. Retrieved May 15, 2013, from http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/new-forensic-technique-for-estimating-time-of-death-by-checking-internal-clock-of-the-human-brain-8614624.html
The Scene Will Dictate What You Need From the Suspect
The primary objective of a crime scene investigator is to relate a suspect to the crime scene. In order to establish this connection, investigators must collect as much evidence as possible from both the scene and the suspect. The key point is that the scene will dictate what you need to obtain from the suspect. For example, if a pair of latex gloves is found at the scene, the inside of the gloves should be processed for prints, and then the suspect’s hands should be swabbed for traces of powder from those gloves (Warrington, 2009). In another situation where the victim was shot, the suspect’s hands should be tested for gunshot residue. However, this evidence is very fragile and can quickly degrade a few hours after the commission of the crime.
Full article here.
Source: forensicmag.com
Citation:
Warrington, D. (2013, 22). Forensic Magazine. The Scene Will Dictate What You Need From the Suspect. Retrieved from http://www.forensicmag.com/tip/scene-will-dictate-what-you-need-suspect?et_cid=3260547&et_rid=515363537&linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.forensicmag.com%2ftip%2fscene-will-dictate-what-you-need-suspect&location=top
Forensics utilized in animal abuse crackdown
Different parts of our nation are flooded with different types of animal abuse issues. Florida has cockfighting, the Carolinas have puppy mills, and Madison County has a cat “sanctuary,” which contains some 700 cats. While law enforcement in general may be more willing to pursue investigations of animal abuse, they may lack the experience and ability to develop a solid case. That’s where Adam Leath, the Gainesville-based southeast regional director of investigations and response for the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (ASPCA), comes in. Leath’s expertise can help agencies determine if an investigation is worth pursuing and aid officers in collecting evidence that may otherwise be overlooked.
Find the full article here.
Source: forensicmag.com
Citation:
Swirko, C. (2013, 22). Gainesville.com. Forensics utilized in animal abuse crackdown. Retrieved from http://www.gainesville.com/article/20130519/ARTICLES/130519583?p=2&tc=pg
Man Shot by FBI Had Ties to Boston Bombing Suspect
Ibragim Todashev, a 27-year-old with Chechen roots and a mixed martial arts background that mirrors that of the Boston bombing suspects, was fatally shot by authorities early Wednesday at his Orlando home during a meeting with an FBI agent and two Massachusetts state troopers, authorities said. The FBI gave no details on why it was interested in Todashev except to say that he was being questioned as part of the Boston investigation. However, two officials briefed on the investigation said he had implicated himself as having been involved in the 2011 triple-slaying in a Boston suburb that authorities believe may have been connected to Tamerlan Tsarnaev. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to release details of the investigation.
Source: forensicmag.com and The Associated Press
Citation:
Hightower, K. (2013, 23). Forensic Magazine. Man Shot by FBI Had Ties to Boston Bombing Suspect . Retrieved from http://www.forensicmag.com/news/man-shot-fbi-had-ties-boston-bombing-suspect?et_cid=3272217&et_rid=515363537&linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.forensicmag.com%2fnews%2fman-shot-fbi-had-ties-boston-bombing-suspect&location=top
The ForensicWeek.com Webcast Show is airing Episode 023
The ForensicWeek.com Webcast Show is airing Episode 023 – “Counterterrorism – A Response to the Boston Marathon Bombing,” tomorrow – Thursday, May 9, 2013, at 7:00 P.M. Hear the truth from three counterterrorism experts, as they share their thoughts about what has happened in Boston and elsewhere in our homeland, and what we need to do to protect ourselves. Guests include: Rusty Capps, Retired FBI Special Agent; Ray Semko, Retired Military Intelligence Special Agent; and LT. Col. Joe Ruffini, US Army (Retired). So join host, Tom Mauriello, and the rest of the ForensicWeek.com team and be prepared to be educated and entertained. Watch the show LIVE or view it at your convenience. Just GO to www.forensicweek.com
NIST and NIJ Release New Handbook for Preserving Biological Evidence
The National Institute of Standards and Technology (NIST) and the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) have released a new handbook, The Biological Evidence Preservation Handbook: Best Practices for Evidence Handlers (NIST Interagency/Internal Report 7928). The handbook provides law enforcement agencies, forensic laboratories, and the judicial system with specific guidelines and recommends the best practices for preserving biological evidence. Written by experts in forensics, law enforcement, the sciences, legal scholars, medical personnel, and various professional organizations, the handbook provides valuable information to ensure quality preservation of evidence. The handbook is divided into five main sections: retention, safe handling, packing and storing, chain of custody and tracking, and disposition.
Source: Forensic Magazine
Read the full article here.
To view the handbook, click here.
Citation: (2013). Forensic Magazine. New a-z guide for preserving biological evidence. Retrieved May 2, 2013, from http://www.forensicmag.com/news/new-z-guide-preserving-biological-evidence
[Abstract by ForensIQ intern, Andrea Williams]
Expert Witness – The Role of a Computer Forensic Expert From Retention Through Trial
Yet another free webinar is being presented by Forensic Magazine, covering the important role for computer forensic investigators as they serve as an expert witnesses. The presentation will cover the attorney’s expectations from the case formation through the actual trial. Join the webinar to learn how to work effectively with attorneys, how to educate them as needed, and how to successfully perform your duties from the start of your investigation through the end of the trial.
Register free here and receive CPE credit.
Source: forensicmag.com
Rapist Gets Life in Prison in Montgomery County Cold Case
Richard E. Ricketts has been sentenced to life in prison for the October 24, 1977 rape of a woman in Montgomery County, Maryland. In 2011, The Montgomery County cold-case detectives reopened one of their oldest unsolved cases and tested old evidence for DNA that led them to a direct match to Richard Ricketts. The DNA test from the victim’s body was checked against a national database of convicts that matched Ricketts’s DNA. Ricketts had been convicted in Florida in 1999 of burglary and sexual battery. Ricketts went on trial in Montgomery County in February 2013 and was convicted by a jury in April 2013 of first-degree rape and two counts of first-degree sex offense. Now in his mid-sixties, Ricketts will spend the rest of his life in prison.
Source: Forensic Magazine and the Washington Post
Read the article here: Forensic Magazine and The Washington Post
Citation: Morse, D. (2013, April 26). Rapist gets life in montgomery county cold case. The Washington Post. Retrieved from http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/rapist-gets-life-in-montgomery-county-cold-case/2013/04/26/4052ada2-ae8f-11e2-a986-eec837b1888b_story.html
[Abstract by ForensIQ intern, Andrea Williams]
Boston Plotters Said to Initially Target July 4 for Attack
During the F.B.I. questioning of the surviving suspect of the Boston Marathon bombings, interrogators discovered that he and his brother originally considered suicide attacks and strikes on the Fourth of July. According to Dzhokhar, he and his older brother, Tamerlan finished building the pressure-cooker bombs and other homemade explosives in their Cambridge, MA apartment earlier than they had expected. This led them to accelerate their attack plans to take place on April 15, which is also known as Patriots’ Day in Massachusetts. The F.B.I found this new information from Dzhokhar, when trying to determine if Tamerland’s wife, Katherine Russell, had any part in the plot or in aiding the brothers as they evaded authorities. According to law enforcement authorities, Russell’s fingerprints and DNA do not match those found on the recovered evidence.
Source: forensicmag.com, and The New York Times
[Abstract by ForensIQ Intern – Mark Lombard]
Citation:
Schmitt, E., Mazzetti, M., Schmidt, M., & Shane, S. (2013, 7). The New York Times. Boston Plot Said to Initially Target July 4.Retrieved from http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/03/us/Boston-bombing-suspects-planned-july-fourth-attack.html?_r=0
The ForensicWeek.com Show – Episode #22
The ForensicWeek.com Webcast Show is airing Episode 022 –“Criminal Justice Graduates Speak-Up.” They are University of Maryland Criminal Justice seniors preparing to graduate this month and go out into the real world looking for career opportunities. We will hear from them as they “speak-up” reflecting on their past four years of study; intern experiences; and career aspirations. So join host, Tom Mauriello, and the rest of the ForensicWeek.com team and meet some of our future professionals. Watch the show LIVE or view it at your convenience. Just GO to www.forensicweek.com
Entomologist Studies Blow Flies and Crime Scenes
Aside from the typical clues at crime scenes such as fingerprints and DNA, Rutgers University graduate student, Lauren Weidner, is an entomologist who studies blow flies and their value to clues in a crime scene. Blow flies, which are attracted to a dead body within minutes after death, can help provide information involving the time of death and sometimes where the person died. Weidner stated that she must work backwards to determine when the eggs were laid and then uses that information to assist investigators. The life cycle and the larvae are much more predictable timeframes to work off of than the vastly different rates of body decomposition. Weidner’s research focuses on studying the differences in blow fly life cycles along with the impact of temperature on the life cycle.
Source: Forensic Magazine
Read the full article here.
Citation: (2013). Forensic Magazine. Entomologist studies blow flies and crime scenes. Retrieved April 30, 2013, from http://www.forensicmag.com/news/entomologist-studies-blow-flies-and-crime-scenes
[Abstract by ForensIQ intern, Andrea Williams]
Forensic Confirmation Bias: When the Evidence Doesn’t Speak for Itself
Decades of psychological research have consistently shown that humans exhibit “confirmation biases” in decision-making. This phenomena is where we naturally gather, interpret, and even create evidence in biased ways that support our previous beliefs. As a growing number of wrongful convictions in the United States judicial system are being discovered, psychologists are exploring the effects of these biases in the field of forensic science and how they can be prevented. Such was the case in the 2004 Madrid train bombings, where a “loss of objectivity” led examiners to see similarities in fingerprint identifications that “were not in fact present.” This led to investigators to wrongfully accuse and detain American Muslim attorney, Brandon Mayfield, until Spanish authorities identified the true perpetrator. Based off the context of the Mayfield case, Itiel Dror and his colleagues developed an experiment that tested whether forensic examiners can be biased by their expectations, and found that their judgments were indeed sensitive to contexts surrounding a case.
Read the full article here.
Source: forensicmag.com & The Huffington Post
[Abstract by ForensIQ Intern – Mark Lombard]
Citation:
Kukucka, J. Huffington Post Canada. Forensic Confirmation Bias: When the Evidence Doesn’t Speak for Itself. Retrieved May 1, 2013, from http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jeff-kukucka/forensic-evidence_b_3178848.html
Safeguarding Forensic DNA Samples
DNA evidence is invisible and remarkably easy to transfer, making it possible for a sample to be spilled or even planted on a piece of evidence. Boise State University professor, Greg Hampikian has developed a solution for this contamination problem by discovering tiny DNA and protein sequences that can be used to permanently mark DNA samples. Several years ago, Hampikian and Boise State computer science colleague Tim Andersen identified these sequences that were not present in nature and Hampikian termed them ‘nullomers.’ Hampikian explained that “DNA contamination is a fact of life in all laboratories,” and the key to protecting these samples may be stamping them with the nullomers as a permanent DNA bar code.
***Note: Hampikian’s research will be published by The Journal of Forensic and Legal Medicine. Pre-publication available here.
Source: forensicmag.com & Boise State Univ., Sherry Squires
[Abstract by ForensIQ Intern – Mark Lombard]
Citation:
Squires, S. Forensic Magazine. Safeguarding Forensic DNA Samples. Retrieved May 1, 2013, from http://www.forensicmag.com/news/safeguarding-forensic-dna-samples?et_cid=3227680&et_rid=515363537&linkid=http%3a%2f%2fwww.forensicmag.com%2fnews%2fsafeguarding-forensic-dna-samples&location=top
Department of Justice Updates Standards for Forensic Examination of Sexual Assault
The Department of Justice announced the revised version of the National Protocol for Sexual Assault Medical Forensic Examinations (SAFE Protocol) on April 24, 2013. The SAFE Protocol is a guide for handling sexual assault medical forensic examinations in order to promote supportive exams for victims of rape and sexual assault. The revised version of the protocol has been updated to include numerous advances in technology. It also includes increased emphasis on victim-centered care and information on changes from the Violence Against Women Act of 2005. The revisions also include information on special need populations such as victims with disabilities or victims in the military. Additional information also involves drug and alcohol facilitated sexual assault and updated confidentiality and reporting procedures. Research has proven that examiners with the proper training who are using modern guides like the SAFE Protocol significantly increase evidence collection and the investigation of sexual assaults.
Source: Forensic Magazine and Department of Justice
Read the full article here.
Citation: (2013). Forensic Magazine. DOJ updates standards for forensic examination of sexual assault. Retrieved April 25, 2013, from http://www.forensicmag.com/news/doj-updates-standards-forensic-examination-sexual-assault
[Abstract by ForensIQ, Andrea Williams]
Experts Speak to Advances in DNA Forensics at 2013 International Symposium on Human Identification
The 24th International Symposium On Human Identification (ISHI) will be held October 7-10, 2013, in Atlanta, Georgia. The ISHI is the largest conference on DNA analysis for human identification. The symposium will include topics such as forensic DNA analysis, cell typing, expert witness testimony, and much more. This year’s keynote speaker, Kevin Davies, author of Cracking the Genome and The $1000 Genome and editor-in-chief of Bio-IT World and John Butler, National Institute of Standards and Technology fellow and group leader are two of the confirmed presenters for this symposium. The ISHI attracts more than 750 forensic DNA analysts from all over the world and gives attendees the opportunity to openly discuss and debate numerous topics in the forensic DNA analysis field.
Source: Forensic Magazine and Promega
Read the full article here.
To register and get more information on the agenda, click here.
Citation: (2013). Forensic Magazine. Experts speak to advances in DNA forensics at 2013 ISHI. Retrieved April 25, 2013, from http://www.forensicmag.com/news/experts-speak-advances-dna-forensics-2013-ishi
[Abstract by ForensIQ intern, Andrea Williams]
