The Forensic Laboratory Handbook

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The Forensic Laboratory Handbook

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F O R E N S I C

S C I E N C E -

^{A N D}

- M E D I C I N E

Steven B. Karch, ^MD, SERIES EDITOR

THE FORENSIC LABORATORY HANDBOOK: PROCEDURES AND PRACTICE, edited by Ashraf Mozayani and Carla Noziglia, 2006

SUDDEN DEATHS IN CUSTODY,edited byDarrell L. Ross and Ted Chan, 2006 DRUGS OF ABUSE:B^ODY F^LUID T^ESTING, edited by Raphael C. Wong

and Harley Y. Tse, 2005

CLINICAL FORENSIC MEDICINE:A PHYSICIAN'S GUIDE, SECOND EDITION, edited by Margaret M. Stark, 2005

FORENSIC MEDICINE OF THE LOWER EXTREMITY:H^UMAN IDENTIFICATION AND T^RAUMA ANALYSIS OF THE THIGH, LEG,AND FOOT, by Jeremy Rich, Dorothy E. Dean, and Robert H. Powers, 2005

FORENSIC AND CLINICAL APPLICATIONS OF SOLID PHASE EXTRACTION, by Michael J.

Telepchak, Thomas F. August, and Glynn Chaney, 2004

HANDBOOK OF DRUG INTERACTIONS:A CLINICAL AND FORENSIC GUIDE, edited by Ashraf Mozayani and Lionel P. Raymon, 2004

DIETARY SUPPLEMENTS:TOXICOLOGY AND C^LINICAL PHARMACOLOGY, edited by Melanie Johns Cupp and Timothy S. Tracy, 2003

BUPRENOPHINE THERAPY OF OPIATE ADDICTION, edited by Pascal Kintz and Pierre Marquet, 2002

BENZODIAZEPINES AND GHB: DETECTION AND PHARMACOLOGY, edited by Salvatore J.

Salamone, 2002

ON-SITE DRUG TESTING, edited by Amanda J. Jenkins and Bruce A. Goldberger, 2001

BRAIN IMAGING IN SUBSTANCE ABUSE:RÊSEARCH, C^LINICAL,ÂND FÔRENSIC APPLICATIONS, edited byMarc J. Kaufman, 2001

TOXICOLOGY AND CLINICAL PHARMACOLOGY OF HERBAL PRODUCTS, edited byMelanie Johns Cupp, 2000

CRIMINAL POISONING:INVESTIGATIONAL G^{UIDE FOR} LÂW E^NFORCEMENT, TOXICOLOGISTS, FÔRENSIC S^CIENTISTS,ÂND A^TTORNEYS, by John H. Trestrail, III, 2000

A PHYSICIAN’S GUIDE TO CLINICAL FORENSIC MEDICINE, edited byMargaret M. Stark, 2000

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T ^HE F ÔRENSIC L ÂBORATORY H ÂNDBOOK

Procedures and Practice

Edited by

Ashraf Mozayani,

^PharmD

,

^PhD

,

^D

-

^ABFT

Harris County Medical Examiner's Office Houston, TX

Carla Noziglia,

^MS

Forensic Scientist Coral Springs, FL and

Senior Forensic Advisor Tanzania, Africa

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Cover Illustration: Cover images (top to bottom): Figures 10 and 18 from Chapter 5, "Explosives and Arson:

Boom and Flame," by James B. Crippin; Figure 2 from Chapter 7, "Firearms and Tool Marks," by Edward E.

Hueske; Figure 1 from Chapter 11, "Introduction to Forensic Document Examination," by William L. Leaver;

and Figure 7D from Chapter 6, "Fingerprints," by Brian E. Dalrymple.

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Printed in the United States of America. 10 9 8 7 6 5 4 3 2 1 eISBN: 1-59259-946-X

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

The forensic laboratory handbook : procedures and practice / edited by Ashraf Mozayani, Carla Noziglia.

p. cm. -- (Forensic science and medicine) Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN 1-58829-464-1 (alk. paper)

1. Crime laboratories. 2. Forensic sciences. I. Mozayani, Ashraf. II. Noziglia, Carla. III. Series.

HV8073.F577 2006 363.25--dc22

2005010942

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Preface

v

“If the law has made you a witness, remain a man of science. You have no victim to avenge, no guilty or innocent person to convict or save—

you must bear testimony within the limits of science.”

Dr. P. C. H. Brouardel 19th-century French medico-legalist

The media abound with references to and programs about forensic science. No mystery story seems complete without a reference to DNA evidence or a trip to the laboratory for DNA analysis. Sometimes, the main characters are forensic scientists. There are things to be learned from these media hap- penings and truth does enter into the plots, making them fascinating to watch and read. From such television shows as Quincy in the 1970s to CSI: New York in 2004, and from the motion picture The Bone Collector to the recent television show Forensic Files, forensic science has perennially shown the power to entertain.

These media portrayals also educate us, but often, this “education” proves to be more fantasy than reality. The Forensic Laboratory Handbook: Proce- dures and Practice was written for the purpose of separating fiction from real- ity by demonstrating the real-life practices of forensic laboratories.

The work performed by forensic scientists in the field, forensic laboratories, medical examiners offices, and private companies is often critical to the proper functioning of the justice system and regulatory bodies. Forensic analysis has provided fresh information in “cold cases,” served to identify the last descendants of the Russian imperial family, and exonerated the wrongfully convicted. This is not to say that the original analyses were flawed, but rather that new technology provides more and better information.

Where would society be without the analysis and comparison of fingerprints, bullets, DNA, and handwriting? The identification of drugs, flammables, bones, and explosives is often central to a case. Newer applications of tech- nologies are used in investigating cyber crime, bite marks, and the reconstruc- tion of a crime scene or a face from a skull.

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With such an important place in the justice system, the integrity of scientific information is crucial. The ethical analysis of evidence must be a given constant. The exchange of new technology and open access to scientific information assists others in understanding, and possibly implementing, new procedures.

Although the job of a forensic scientist is important and one of the most satisfying of career choices, as with every other profession, the work can sometimes seem mundane and repetitious. Although many media programs may portray some aspects of the profession correctly, they also tend to glamorize the jobs. In the media, many separate jobs are rolled into one so that the story flows better and the crime is solved in the time allowed. Cases that in reality would take months or even years to solve are wrapped up in 42 minutes on television. Not mentioned is the time needed to describe and prepare the evidence for analysis, the expertise needed to interpret the results, the time spent writing the scientific report, and the time spent in court giving expert testimony. Add the time spent educating law enforcement, attorneys, and judges, and the time spent in training to ensure that the scientist is on the cutting edge with specialized skills and you can well appreciate the demands placed on forensic professionals.

The forensic scientists who wrote the chapters in The Forensic Labora- tory Handbook: Procedures and Practice are real—they actually do what they write about. Each is an unsung hero, a seeker of truth, a dedicated scientist.

They will tell you how it is in a real forensic laboratory, and it will be a fascinating story.

Ashraf Mozayani, PharmD,PhD,D-ABFT

Carla Noziglia, MS

vi Preface

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Contributors

ix

ROBERT P. BIANCHI,BS • Bianchi Consulting, Fairfax, VA

RICHARD E. BISBING,BS • Vice President and Director of Research, McCrone Associates Inc., Westmont, IL

JOYE M. CARTER,MD• Forensic Pathologist, Consultant, Author, and Lecturer, J & M Forensic Consulting, Memphis, TN

W. JERRY CHISUM,BS • Independent Consultant, Elk Grove, CA

DONNELL CHRISTIAN,BS • CEO and Senior Forensic Advisor, Criminalist.us, Professional Business Solutions Inc., St. Louis, MO

JAMES B. CRIPPIN,BS• Director, Western Forensic Law Enforcement Training Center; Department of Chemistry, Colorado State University, Pueblo, CO BRIAN E. DALRYMPLE,AOCA • President, Brian Dalrymple and Associates,

Orillia, Ontario, Canada

LISA A. GEFRIDES,MS • Forensic DNA Analyst, Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office, Houston, TX

EDWARD E. HUESKE,MA • Criminalistics Coordinator, University of North Texas, Denton, TX

WILLIAM L. LEAVER,BS,D-ABFDE• Forensic Document Examiner, Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Scientific Services Bureau, Downey, CA ASHRAF MOZAYANI,PharmD,PhD,D-ABFT • Harris County Medical Examiner’s

Office, Houston, TX

CARLA M. NOZIGLIA,MS,FAAFS • Forensic Scientist, Coral Springs, FL;

Senior Forensic Advisor, Tanzania, Africa

MARK POLLITT,MS • President, Digital Evidence Professional Services, Inc., Ellicott City, MD

HELENA SOOMER,DDS,PhD • Forensic Odontologist, Estonian Disaster Victim Identification Team, Tallinn, Estonia

WILLIAM J. TILSTONE,PhD • Executive Director, National Forensic Technology Science Center, Largo, FL

KATHERINE E. WELCH,MS • Harris County Medical Examiner’s Office, Houston, TX

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List of Color Plates

Color Plate to follow p. 182.

Color Plate 1. Fig. 5, Chapter 5: Original version of micro-taggants.

(See discussion on p. 94.)

Fig. 12, Chapter 5: Diphenylamine color test. (See discussion on p. 98.)

Color Plate 2. Fig. 13, Chapter 5: Anatazoline color test. (See disc- ussion on p. 98.)

Fig. 14, Chapter 5: KOH color tests. (See discussion on p. 98.)

Color Plate 3. Fig. 17, Chapter 5: TNT fusion melt. (See discussion on p. 102.)

Fig. 18, Chapter 5: Sodium nitrate under crossed poles.

(See discussion on p. 102.)

x

The Forensic Laboratory Handbook

The Forensic Laboratory Handbook

F O R E N S I C

S C I E N C E -

- M E D I C I N E

T HE F ORENSIC L ABORATORY H ANDBOOK

Procedures and Practice

Edited by

Ashraf Mozayani,

,

,

-

Carla Noziglia,

Preface

Contents

Contributors

List of Color Plates

T ^HE F ÔRENSIC L ÂBORATORY H ÂNDBOOK