Perrin Kileen

Crime Scene 1
Biology
Gunshot Wound Analysis:
Analyzing gunshot wounds has long been a way to determine the many factors
contributing to a gunshot wound and how it happened. First introduced in 1971 by John Boehm
the examination process included studying the GSR (Gunshot Residue) and categorizing the
chemical elements into four categories. These were lead, antimony, barium, and calcium. In
1984 Wallace and McQuillan published a new classification of the GSR particles. The particles
play a role in identifying where the gun was shot from. For example if a gun was put right up to
your head and shot there would be a burn mark around the wound, but if a gun was shot at your
head from a foot away there would be no burn mark but there would be gun powder.
To determine a gunshot wound you want to start by determining the horizontal velocity
by using the equation: Vx = Vo Cos . If the launch angle was 45 degrees and original velocity
was 1500 meters per second, then: Vx = 1500 Cos 45 = 1500 (.0707) = 106 meters per second.
Find vertical launch velocity by using the equation: Vy = Vo Sin . Using the same launch angle
and initial velocity as before: Vy = 1500 Sin 45 = 1500 (.0707) = 106 meters per second.
Calculate how long it will be before the bullet stops rising (Vtop) -- which is when velocity in the
vertical direction reaches zero - given that gravity constantly pulls the bullet toward the ground
(a). For this, we use the equation for velocity at a constant acceleration, Vtop = Vy +at, solved
for time (t): t = (Vtop-Vy)/a. Since we know the acceleration of gravity to be -9.8 meters/
second^2, we can know when the bullet in our example stops rising: t = (0-106)/-9.8 = 10.8
seconds. Double the amount of time it takes for the bullet to reach peak altitude to find out the
amount of time it takes for the bullet to strike the ground. In our example, the total flight time is:
10.8 x 2 = 21.6 seconds. Determine how far along the ground the bullet will travel by using the
formula: Distance (d) = Vxt + 0.5at^2. Considering an initial horizontal velocity of 106 meters per
second, a flight time of 21.6 seconds, and a horizontal acceleration of zero, our bullet traveled: d
= 106(21.6) + 0.5(0 x (21.6)^2)= 106(21.6) + 0 = 2289.6 meters along the ground.
Some of the most recent advances in forensic ballistics are those by Pyramidal
Technologies Ltd. and its ALIAS system. Company President Mike Barrett highlighted several
aspects of the compact, portable technology, but the most important is the 3D rendering output
that provides a substantially different result than photographic or scanned images. ALIAS (an
acronym for Advanced Ballistics Analysis System) consists of just a few relatively small
components, including an enhanced Apple Mac Pro computer, and an interferometer that
surveys a cartridge case or bullet to create mathematically based renderings. In simple terms,
laser beams are used to measure a surface down to variances as small as two microns. Using
those measurements, ALIAS creates a mathematical model and stores this visualization in its
open database. The operator can then call up a 3D rendering of the object on an HD monitor.
Using one of ALIAS algorithms, the operator can then request to execute a correlation of the
questioned cartridge case or bullet, and ALIAS generates a set of possible matches.
After analyzing the crime scene, we found that the victim was shot when passed out. We
determined this by sticking a wooden dowel into the wound and saw that angle of wooden dowel
was at an angle that showed him with his head down when shot. We then figured the angle by
measuring the blood splatters and dividing the width by the height then multiplying it by sin.
This gave us the exact angle which was 24.3 . All this evidence proved a murder.
http://apps.americanbar.org/abastore/products/books/abstracts/5450051chap1_abs.pdf