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Cracking More Cases: the Forensic Science of Solving Crimes : The Michael Skakel-Martha Moxley case, the JonBenet Ramsey Case and Many More! by
Truly a legend in his own time, Dr. Henry C. Lee is considered by many to be the greatest forensic criminalist in the world. He has gained widespread public recognition through his involvement in many high-profile cases. Now, as a follow-up to his highly acclaimed Cracking Cases, Dr. Lee describes in intimate detail his work in personally investigating five notorious murder cases, while demonstrating the fascinating scientific techniques of forensic science. Taking the reader through the entire investigative process, Dr. Lee shares his thoughts on two high profile cases: The Skakel-Moxley Murder. This case, which had remained unsolved for three decades, seized the headlines since it involved the nephews of Ethyl Kennedy and the late Sen. Robert F. Kennedy. In the fall of 1975, the partially clad body of fifteen-year-old Martha Moxley was found by a neighbor near the home of Rushton Skakel, the older brother of Ethyl Kennedy. The night before, Martha had visited Skakel's teenage sons at their house while the father was away on a hunting trip. At 10 p.m., Martha reportedly left the Skakel residence to return to her own house, a few doors away. She never made it home. For twenty-four years no one was prosecuted. Finally, in 1999, Dr. Lee and two other professionals were appointed to a special task force charged with reviewing all of the evidence and reinvestigating the case. In May of 2002, the case finally came to trial and Dr. Lee testified before the jury. Dr. Lee's testimony focused on a reconstruction of the crime scene and "indirect forensic evidence." The ultimate verdict surprised many experienced courtroom observers. The JonBenet Ramsey Case. The murder of six-year-old beauty queen JonBenet Ramsey has created a frenzy of media speculation, partly because local Colorado authorities bungled the initial handling of the evidence. Two months after discovery of the little girl's body, Dr. Lee was asked to help with the inquiry. Dr. Lee knows as much about the forensic evidence in this case as anyone alive -- except for the murderer. He provides a particularly extensive discussion of the complexities of this provocative case. Dr. Lee also describes his investigations of the Serra, Barrett, and Deng murder cases, which took place in California, Florida, and Connecticut. Each of these cases have taken dramatic twists and turns. Dr. Lee presents in scientific detail how he investigated the murders, analyzed the evidence, and used techniques that have played a critical role in bringing many criminals to justice. He discusses how the criminalist examines blood spatter evidence and uses blood identification, DNA analysis, and other forensic technologies developed in the world's best laboratories. Dr. Lee also makes the point that forensics continues to advance. With every new scientific development, the prospect of solving seemingly baffling "cold cases" becomes greater. This page-turner by a world-renowned expert offers an intriguing insider's look into the pursuit of justice in some of the most notorious and troubling criminal cases of recent times.
Every Contact Leaves a Trace by
Real crime scene investigation is vastly more complicated, arduous, bizarre, and fascinating than TV's streamlined versions. Most people who work actual investigations will tell you that the science never lies -- but people can. They may also contaminate evidence, or not know what to look for in crime scenes that typically are far more chaotic and confusing, whether inside or outside, than on TV. Forensic experts will tell you that the most important person entering a scene is the very first responding officer - the chain of evidence starts with this officer and holds or breaks according to what gets stepped on, or over, collected or contaminated, looked past, or looked over, from every person who enters or interprets the scene, all the way through the crime lab and trial. And forensic experts will tell you the success of a case can depend on any one expert's knowledge of quirky things, such as: "The Rule of the First Victim": (the first victim of a criminal usually lives near the criminal's home) Criminals' snacking habits at the scene"Nature's Evidence Technicians," the birds and rodents that hide bits of bone, jewelry, and fabric in their nestsThe botanical evidence found in criminals' pants cuffs Baseball caps as prime DNA repositoriesThe tales told by the application of physics to falling blood drops. Forensic experts talk about their expertise and their cases here. They also talk about themselves, their reactions to the horrors they witness, and their love of the work. For example, a DNA analyst talks about how she drives her family crazy by buccal-swabbing them all at Thanksgiving dinner. A latent print examiner talks about how he examines cubes of Jell-O at any buffet he goes to for tell-tale prints. A crime scene investigator gives his tips on clearing a scene of cops: he slaps "Bio-hazard" and "Cancer Causing Agent" stickers on his equipment. And an evidence technician talks about how hard it is to go to sleep after processing a scene, re-living what you've just witnessed, your mind going a hundred miles an hour. This is a world that TV crime shows can't touch. Here are eighty experts - including beat cops, evidence technicians, detectives, forensic anthropologists, blood spatter experts, DNA analysts, latent print examiners, firearms experts, trace analysts, crime lab directors, and prosecution and defense attorneys - speaking in their own words about what they've seen and what they've learned to journalist Connie Fletcher, who has gotten cops to talk freely in her bestsellers What Cops Know, Pure Cop, and Breaking and Entering. Every Contact Leaves A Trace presents the science, the human drama, and even the black comedy of crime scene investigation. Let the experts take you into their world. This is their book - their words, their knowledge, their stories. Through it all, one Sherlock Holmesian premise unites what they do and what it does to them: Every contact leaves a trace.
Blood, Bugs, and Plants by
Blood, Bugs, and Plants explores several core biological areas that have influenced modern forensic science. Entomology ('bugs') is a specialty that uses knowledge about insect life cycles to inform death investigations. Botany ('plants') is a specialty that looks at plant materials as evidence in cases. Occupying the largest part of this book, the 'blood' section covers the identification of blood and body fluids (determining their origin as human or animal), DNA typing, and blood-spatter patterns.Each chapter in this new book provides an overview that briefly introduces readers to basic concepts in forensic science, allowing them to understand how this biological science sheds light on issues in legal cases.
Crashes and Collapses by
Engineering scientists in motor vehicle crash investigations use forensic evidence to measure and analyze the variables involved in a car crash. ""Crashes and Collapses"" examines forensic cases and investigative methods from the forensic engineering sciences, which include the physical sciences as well as all of the engineering fields. The engineering sciences dominate forensic investigations of events underlying civil disputes while also playing an important role in criminal investigations, especially in those in which a crime has been disguised as an accident. ""Crashes and Collapses"" provides middle and high school students with a unique look at this area of forensic science. After providing a history of forensic engineering science, this compelling new volume goes on to introduce Newton's laws of motion, which underlie accident reconstruction; the critical-speed-scuff method for determining the speed of cars; the obstacles confronting forensic investigators; and, more. The book also provides enlightening looks at specific cases of crashes and collapses, presenting both the facts and analyses.
Drugs, Poisons, and Chemistry by
Forensic chemists and toxicologists work with drugs and poisons, but they each start with different evidence. Forensic chemists working in a crime lab must determine if the physical evidence they receive is an illegal substance such as marijuana or cocaine. They are also responsible for samples - including fire debris, soil, paint, glass, explosives, and fibers - obtained from suspected arson crimes. Toxicologists, on the other hand, work with biological evidence such as blood, saliva, urine, and feces, using analytical chemistry to identify chemical traces and unmetabolized drugs. They often work in labs associated with a medical examiner's office or a hospital. ""Drugs, Poisons, and Chemistry"" touches on all aspects of forensic chemistry.
Fakes and Forgeries by
Fakes and forgeries have existed since humans began creating art and written language. This title looks at the modern tools of computers, printers, and scanners to create questioned documents and counterfeits. It examines the art of analyzing evidence - from lottery tickets and voting ballots to stamps and envelopes.
Firearms and Fingerprints by
Firearms evidence examination and fingerprint comparison have had a long and interesting history. The role of fingerprints in human identification can actually be traced back several thousand years. The development of the science of fingerprint comparison and the scientific examination of firearms, however, began in the early 19th century. The goal of the preservation of physical evidence is to associate each piece of evidence with its responsible source, allowing forensic scientists to answer questions regarding the who, what, when, where, how, and why of a crime. ""Firearms and Fingerprints"" traces these early beginnings and the icons that laid the groundwork for the current science.
Science Versus Crime by
The highly publicized O.J. Simpson trial sparked an interest in the application of science to criminal investigations, leading to popular TV shows, books, and movies on the topic. Enrollment in forensic science educational programs soared, and new academic programs sprouted everywhere.""Science versus Crime"" provides an insider's look at how crimes are solved with the help of forensic science. Offering students a peak at the many investigations that have revolutionized this field of study, this new book explores the pioneers of forensic science, how evidence is collected and analyzed, the science of DNA, fingerprinting, and more. This book features chromatography, forensic DNA, fingerprints, firearms examination, and testimony and report writing.
Trace Evidence by
Evidence that can barely be seen with the naked eye routinely plays a crucial part in the search for - and the conviction of - some of the most dangerous criminals known to society. From the hairs of a dog to tiny fiber fragments, forensic analysts study these trace materials and interpret them for use in legal proceedings. Hairs and fibers are two of the most commonly found types of trace evidence and the focus of this book. ""Trace Evidence"" explores the microscopic world in which the forensic scientist works by addressing the issues of what constitutes evidence; important methods of trace analysis, including spectroscopy and chromatography; human and animal hairs and what can be determined by examining them; and manufactured and natural fibers and the many ways in which they appear in textiles and are analyzed in the laboratory. Written by a well-respected author with extensive knowledge in the field, this book is essential for students fascinated by this area of forensic science. The chapters include: 'What Is Evidence?' Forensic Applications, Hairs, and Fibers.