Crime Scene Investigation

1. Crime Scene Investigation Aim CSI1a – What do police do at a possible corpus delicti?

2. Parts of a REALCrime Scene Investigation Part I – Preliminaries • The initial actions taken when a scene is determined to be an actual crime • The steps taken when police officers actually have a corpus delicti • The proper handling of evidence is primary to the resolution of any case • Second only to the safety and well-being of victims of the crime

3. Parts of a Crime Scene Investigation Part I – Preliminaries • Initial actions: • Render assistance – is anyone in need of medical help? • Search the scene for the perpetrator(s) • Determine what area makes up the crime scene • Set up crime scene tape • Immediately process any weapons • Secondary actions • Obtain personal evidence • CANVAS the crime scene for witnesses

4. Parts of a Crime Scene Investigation Part II – Documentation - a written or visual record of the crime scene. A. Photography • Visual record of crime scene • Cameras as well as video tape records of scene • Crime Scene Sketches • Positions evidence at the scene • Allows investigators to get a “bird’s eye view” of the scene

5. Parts of a Crime Scene Investigation C. Written Notes/ Documentation • Allow investigators to keep track of crime details • Includes: • all witness statements • Notes of investigators • Any reports detailing the crime • ME reports • psych reports • evidence analysis reports

6. Parts of a Crime Scene Investigation • Copius notes must be taken of the scene and its evidence • May be referred back to in court, especially when months or years have passed between the crime and the associated court case • Questions that may arise later: • Who found or processed the evidence? • When was it found? • Where was the evidence at the scene? • Who said what at the scene and after?

7. PPPSCRIPT • An acronym for looking at a crime scene • Each letter represents a part of the investigation at the start P – Pulse R – Record P – Protect I – Identify P – Photograph P – Package S – Sketch T - Transport C – Collect

8. “Pulse” • Victims are an important source of information • They can say who did it • Or describe the suspect • A live witness’s personal evidence is always better than a dead victim’s physical evidence 9 times out of 10 • Render first aid if necessary • Even if this means losing evidence!

9. “Protect” • Check the crime scene for the perpetrators • Secure weapons • So no one accidently injures self • To protect if perpetrator is still in vicinity • Tape the area off from all unauthorized personnel • Witnesses • Reporters • Spectators • Non-essential personnel (ex: the mayor)

10. Parts of a Crime Scene InvestigationAim CSI 2b- What does PPPSCRIPT stand for?

11. Photographic Evidence • Photograph everything • A visual record of the scene • Multiple photos at varying angles of: • Evidence • Victims’ bodies • Entryways / exitways • Panoramic or overlapping photos of entire scene

12. Photographic Evidence • Example of key photographic evidence • Ted Bundy’s bite marks on dead woman’s buttocks. • How did police know this bite occurred after death? • How did they identify it with Bundy?

13. “Sketch” Crime Scene • Mark positions of all evidence • Should correlate to the photos taken • Gives a sense of position for later trial case… • Example • “12 Angry Men” • The position and movement of the old man in his apartment • Could he have really made it to the door in time?

14. Polar (rectangular) Coordinate Sketch • All evidence measured from fixed points that are at right angles to each other • Walls of a room • Fences or streets outside • Distance measured to nearest inch

15. Triangulation Sketch • Two fixed reference points used • Distance of crime scene evidence from reference points • For irregular scenes with no right angles • Outdoor area like woods or fields • Also – used in accident scenes Bank

16. Cross Projection Sketch • 3D view necessary to show all evidence • “open shoe box” view • In case of St. Valentine’s Day Massacre • bullet holes would have been shown all over the walls • bodies shown on the floor

17. “Collect” Evidence Collection of evidence will help to determine… • Corpus delecti (the body of evidence) • was there actually a crime? • Modus operandi (MO) • what was the method used to commit the crime? • Can we determine the perpetrator’s identity at this point? • Elimination prints – take prints of all those who may have had access to area; includes: • Family • Friends • Delivery people • P.O.s investigating the scene

18. Search Patterns • Ways of searching the crime scene • Spiral • Lots of evidence • Tight area • Few officers

19. Search Patterns • Ways of searching the crime scene • Grid Search • Few officers • Large area to cover • Each square of the grid is searched individually

20. Search Patterns • Ways of searching the crime scene • Line search • Large number of officers • Large area to cover

21. Search Patterns • Ways of searching the crime scene • Point to Point search • Often allows officers to find the perpetrator • Example: a Hauppauge Cat Burglar finally caught by police

22. “Record” Information • Note locations where evidence is found (sketches), who found it, and when. • Note all witness statements. • Which type of sketch is this?

23. Parts of a Crime Scene Investigation – Taking the evidence – “IPT” ofPPPSCRIPT

24. “Identification” of Evidence • Type of evidence being processed • Where is it going to go? (i.e. Serology lab, Fingerprint lab) • Which type of analysis will be done?

25. “Package” the Evidence Each type of evidence is handled in a specific way: • Blood and serums: • Stained materials paper bagged - allowed to air dry • Blood and serum samples can be simple taken and stored or; • some samples are preserved with chemicals for later analysis • Prints or objects to be printed: • are boxed and stored for transport in special containers • Everything else bagged • All evidence labeled • Date • Time • Collecting officer’s name

26. “Transport” the evidence • Proper carrying of materials to be processed • Follow the “chain of custody” • The whereabouts of evidence must be known from beginning to end • From the moment evidence found to the time the DA passes it into evidence in court

27. Chain of Custody • The location of evidence must be maintained at all times • From crime scene to court • Three groups may handle the evidence prior to court • The prosecution – they and their experts (crime lab) • The defense – they and their experts (forensic consultants, e.g. Henry Lee and the Simpson Case) • The evidence storage or lockup

28. Reconstruction • The determination of what happened or may have happened at the scene based on • evidence; • observations of the crime scene; • and witness statements. • The reconstruction may involve • Scaled diagrams or sketches; • Models of the scene; • Or whole reconstructions of the scene • Reconstruction is a hypothesis that attempts to explain the circumstances of the crime • Police and prosecutors test this hypothesis with all of the above • Both facts and assumptions may be in evidence

29. Case Study – Jeffrey McDonald and Charles Manson

30. Case StudyJeffrey McDonald • Jeffrey Robert MacDonald was born in New York, grew up in Patchogue, LI • Attended Patchogue High School • voted "most popular" and "most likely to succeed“ • won a scholarship to Princeton University. • In the fall of 1963, married his high school sweetheart • Colette was pregnant with their daughter Kimberley

31. Case StudyJeffrey McDonald • After Princeton • attended medical school in Chicago • second child, Kristen, was born in May 1967 • after med school, joined the Army as a Group Surgeon in the Green Berets in 1969 • entire family moved to Fort Bragg, North Carolina.

32. Location: Fort Bragg, NC • Time: 3:42 a.m. • Date: February 17, 1970, • Two phone calls made to Military Police at Fort Bragg • First call could not be understood • Second call - MacDonald reported a "stabbing“ • Officers arrived to find Colette, Kimberley, and Kristen all dead in their respective bedrooms.

33. Colette, pregnant with her third child • Found lying on bedroom floor • Bludgeoned repeatedly (both her arms were broken) • Stabbed 37 times • McDonald’s torn pajama top lay across her chest • On headboard: "pig" written in blood

34. Case StudyJeffrey McDonald – the Murders • Kimberley, age five, was found in her bed • Also bludgeoned and stabbed with a knife between eight and ten times • Her younger sister Kristen, age two, was also found in her bed • Stabbed with a knife 33 times and stabbed with an ice pick 15 times

35. MacDonald was found next to his wife, alive but wounded • His wounds were much less severe than his family's injuries • Suffered cuts and bruises on his face and chest • Also had a "clean, small, sharp" incision • This caused one lung to partially collapse • Treated in the hospital and released after one week

36. Case StudyJeffrey McDonald – His Story • MacDonald had fallen asleep on couch the night before • He was awakened by the screams of Colette and Kimberley • As he rose from the living room couch to go to their aid • He was attacked by three male intruders • A fourth female intruder chanted "Acid is groovy, kill the pigs."

37. Case StudyJeffrey McDonald – His Story • The three males attacked him with a club and ice pick. • During the struggle, MacDonald claimed that he then used his pajama top to ward off thrusts from the ice pick. • Eventually, MacDonald said he was knocked unconscious by his assailants

38. Evidence found and later used in court • Blood trail found in hall way from MacDonald master bedroom to Kimberly’s bedroom • Ice pick found • Blue pj fibers all over bedroom • “PIG” written in blood • Holes in pj top McDonald used to defend himself • Evidence lost • Blood and hairs fingernails • A barefoot print left in blood on the wood floor of the master bedroom

39. Case Study Jeffrey McDonald – Innocent, than Guilty • Evidence and story initially pointed to the hippie killer theory • McDonald went back to surgery after military discharge • Starts to party and run around with women • Appears on Dick Cavett Show, laughing and joking • No sign of grief • Collette’s parents ask case to be reopened

40. Case Study Jeffrey McDonald – Innocent, than Guilty • Civil case – McDonald’s personal evidence vs physical evidence • Fought for his life – little damage to living room • Stated he did not own an icepick – in fact did • PJ top stab - damage not consistent with what should have happened • Blood trail - not consistent with his story

41. Case Study Jeffrey McDonald – Innocent, than Guilty • Reconstruction of fateful night • MacDonald’s wife wanted divorce • Knew he was cheating on her • In a fit of rage, killed her • Daughter Kimberly walked in – still in rage, killed her • Realization sets in – cover up time • Kills daughter Kristen, Manson family style • Stabs pj top to make it appear he defended self • Stabs self to make it appear he was attacked

42. Case Study Jeffrey McDonald – Innocent, than Guilty • MacDonald found guilty of • 2nd degree murder in wife and older daughter’s deaths • 1st degree murder in younger daughter’s death • Serving life in jail • Has remarried (2002) • Will not be eligible for parole again until 2020 (he will be 77 years old)