Citations

http://supreme.justia.com/us/370/650/
http://www.slideshare.net/Alyssa10/csi-handwriting-analysis
http://www.handwriting.org/main/hwawhat.html
http://www.handwritinglady.com/articles/compat.htm
http://www.centralreg.k12.nj.us/webpages/SHopson/files/hair.pdf
http://www.trutv.com/library/crime/criminal_mind/forensics/trace/3.html
http://www.cengagesites.com/academic/assets/sites/4827/chapter3_Bertino.pdf
http://science.howstuffworks.com/fingerprinting.htm
http://onin.com/fp/fphistory.html
http://www.fingerprinting.com/history-of-fingerprinting.php

THE BIG INVESTIGATION

In the case of the murder of Tyese Jefferson, we as investigators believe that Smokey Johnson is responsible for the murder. We are able to link him to the scene because of fingerprint, footprint, and handwriting evidence.  All other pieces of evidence belongs to the victim, aside from some pet hair. Investigators believe that this was a crime of passion, due to the restraining order that Johnson had against him. Tyese had ordered food from where Smokey was working. Smokey took the opportunity and slipped Iodine into her drink. She got home, took her shoes and earrings off, and began getting symptoms of Iodine poisoning, which are similar to a bad cold; except that Iodine poisoning causes bleeding from the gums, spitting of blood, or posterior. In desperation, she wrote a note saying “Please help me!” Finally she died a painful death. All the while, Smokey had been lying in wait outside. He entered the house to collect her body. Before leaving, he wrote a note saying “You will never find her!” On his way out, Tyses’s body snagged something and left a small, green, nylon fiber. Also, Smokey left a footprint in the sand around her house as he brought her body to his car. He then drove away to dispose of the body, leaving a long trail of evidence behind.

Exhibit 1: Women's shoe

Exhibit 2: a torn up letter

Exh. 2 put together

Exhibit 2A: Another torn up letter

Exh. 2A put together

Exhibit 3: fingerprint

Exhibit 3A: Another fingerprint

Exhibit 4: An earring

Exhibit 5: Green fabric

Exhibit 6: Possible poison(s)

Exhibit 7: Footprint

Exhibit 8: A+ blood

Exhibit 9: Hair

Exhibit 10: Print that needs lifting

Victim

Prime suspect

Drug Analysis

In our drug analysis lab, we were given different different samples of supposed drugs that ranged from aspirin to LSD (not legitimate illegal drugs, just samples that would yield similar results as the real things). We went around in groups doing different tests on all of the provided samples.

LSD Test

Cocaine test 

Lipstick Analysis

    In class, we were told to make lip prints, then analyze our classmates' print. Afterwards, our groups were told to make prints on one sheet of paper (per group) and the alternate tables, then try to match the prints of the other groups with the initial prints. We were told to pay special attention to characteristics of the prints, such as cracks, the dip of the upper lip, or anything that would single out the print. My group and I did our best, but in the end we were unable to successfully match the prints. There was much dispute over one print in particular, due to the dip in the upper lip. But both prints provided, initial and the one one the group paper, were light and smudged, so it was difficult for us to make a decisive conclusion.

Witness Experiment

This time instead of building a profile, we had to build a face! In our groups, we were given magazines and our teacher told us to find 1 face each that were about the same size then cut them out. Then we cut out the major features of the face (i.e. eyes, nose, lips, etc) and give the pieces to whoever we were sitting beside so that they could try to put the face together. Then we put all of our pieces  in the center of our table and mixed them up. After that, we had to try to put our original face back together amid the jumble of parts, testing our memory. I learned how vital recognition could be in the case, because some of the pieces were very similar. But I think it would be easier to recognize a full face in a lineup, rather than try to sort picture pieces as we had to do.

Footprinting

For this endeavor, our class got into groups to analyze footprints. As luck would have it, first period (my period) got to go outside to collect dirt in containers so we could do the analysis inside. Once each group had a suitable quantity of dirt, we took our bins inside to get started. One person in each group laid their footprint and then we would analyze it. We recorded the outside temperature, weather conditions, relative humidity, and even the wind conditions as if it were an actual investigation in the field. In relation to the footprint, we recorded the length, width, direction it is going, cardinal direction, and specific data such as tread and class characteristics.

My footprint

Worksheet I/we filled out for footprint analysis

Creating a Profile

One day we came into class and miscellaneous pieces of forensic evidence were spread out on each table. Our teacher told us that there was a murder and that we needed a profile of the subject based upon the evidence on our table. There were 2 pieces of paper with a couple strands of hair taped to each, a ripped up note, a set of 4 fingerprints, and a smear that was assumably blood. After analyzing each hair underneath the microscope, we concluded that one set of hair belonged to a caucasian with light brown hair. In the other hair sample we found that the hairs came from both a dog and a cat; one hair was very straight dark hair (cat) and the other was kinda curved and brown (dog). We deduced that the fingerprints came from a right hand, but we were unable to tell which digits they were of. Unfortunately we could not decide whether or not the splatter came from blood or lipstick; the sample was very smeared and could pass for either. Finally, our group painstakingly pieced together the note and concluded that it said, "You'll never find her!" I personally observed that the suspect was probably egotistic due to the confidence that it would take to leave behind such valuable evidence.

My Profile sheet with all of the evidence I/we collected

After our analysis of the clues, we were told to make