Sam Sheppard Case: convicted in the 1950s for bludgeoning his wife to death.

TV show modeled after

his efforts to be claimed innocent. Sheppard said he was asleep when attack took place, and was knocked
unconscious when he ran upstairs. His affair became known. Bloody outline of a surgical instrument
found on wifes pillow (Sheppard was a physician). Sheppard eventually was not convicted when blood
splatter showed the attacker was left handed while Sheppard was right handed.

Antigens and Antibodies: Antigens are proteins on the surface of a red blood cell, they give blood type.
Antibodies look for foreign cells and get rid of them
A-B-O method created by Landsteiner, Rh also important system.
Type A: A antigens
Type B: B antigens
Type AB: both A and B antigens
Type O: neither A or B antigens
Rh factor is also determined as D antigen, people with D antigen said to be Rh positive. Fundamental
principle of blood typing is that for every antigen, there is a specific antibody. Antibodies are bivalent,
meaning they can attach to antigens on two different red blood cells, causing a clot.
Blood content is 55% plasma, 45% solid portions. Blood clots when a protein, fibrin, traps and enmeshes
with red blood cells. Red blood cells carry oxygen throughout the body. To identify blood with known
antiserum, you inject A, B, A and B, neither A nor B and see what agglutinates. Inject antibodies to
identify blood type with known cells.

Characterization of Bloodstains:
1. Is it blood?
Kastle-Meyer Test: phenolphthalein has a chemical reaction when it is in contact with the
hemoglobin (protein in red blood cells), the reaction causes a chemical reaction that is bright pink
Hemastix Test: strips detect peroxide-like activity of hemoglobin in the substance tested, green
color shows positive for blood
Luminol: iron in hemoglobin reacts as catalyst in oxidation reaction with luminal solution, excites
electrons and causes a blue glow (blue star destroys DNA)
2. Is it human blood?
3. How closely can it be associated with a particular individual?

Human or Animal Blood? To determine if the blood is human blood or not, the most common precipitin
test is to layer a sample of the bloodstain on top of the human antiserum in a capillary tube. If it is human
blood, it will react with the antibodies in the serum and create a cloudy ring at the interface of the two
liquids.

Stain Patterns of Blood: the harder and less porous the surface, the less splatter results. The pointed end
of angled bloodstain always faces its direction of travel. Can determine the impact angle of blood by
measuring its degree of circular distortion, perfect circle is at a 90 degree angle, stain elongates as angle
decreases. Origin of blood splatter can be determined by drawing a line the long axis of all the blood
drops until the lines intersect. The farther away from the target the blood drop is released, the larger the
diameter of the drop tends to be. When a drop falls on the surface, friction holds on to the first part of
blood, satellite marks are made by the remaining amount of blood that scatters out.

O.J. Simpson: Nicole Simpson and friend, Ron Goldman, found dead outside Simpsons house. Multiple
stab wounds. Trail of blood led away from the murder scene. Blood found on OJs car, blood drops found
in his driveway and foyer of his home. Blood soaked sock found in his bedroom, bloodstained glove
found outside his home. DNA was processed from each bloodstained article, and pretty irrefutably linked
OJ to the murders. Trail of OJs DNA was found leaving the crime scene and entering Simpsons home.
Both victims and OJs DNA was found in the car, glove had DNA of both victims, and sock had


Nicoles. Defense argued that there were several miscues in evidence collection and dishonest police were
planting evidence. O.J. was acquitted of murder.

What is DNA? Inside the human body are strands of genetic material called chromosomes, on which
there are genes. Each gene is composed of DNA, a polymer. Nucleotides (repeating patterns in DNA) are
made up of a sugar molecule, a phosphorous group, and a base (A, G, C, or T). Since DNA is a double
helix, the bases must match up with their complementary base (A to T, G to C).

What is DNA made up of? nucleotides, deoxyribose, phosphorous

Connecting DNA to Forensics: DNA can help identify a perpetrator or between individuals because its
all different BUT the limitations include errors in collection, lack of evidence, or contamination.

Replicating DNA: polymerase chain reaction (PCR) takes small pieces of DNA found at crime scene and
duplicates it using a DNA Thermal Cycler. Makes sample size no longer a limitation.

DNA typing process:
-Have a vile of DNA, add buffer and mix
-add restriction enzyme to act as scissors, mix
-incubate/heat for it to multiply
-add loading dye, mix
-pipet it into a gel plate (in buffer solution)
-put gel plate in an electric field, DNA will move to the positive side
-take plate out and pour dye over it, then wash with buffer solution

RFLP (Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism):
-DNA cut into fragments by restriction enzymes
-separated into bands by electrophoresis
-band pattern transferred to nylon membrane
-radioactive DNA probe added to membrane and binds to specific fragments
-x-ray detects radioactive pattern

STR (Short Tandem Repeat): locations on the chromosome that contain short segments of repeating
base pairs. STRs are often an ideal candidate for the PCR process of duplication.

Innocence Project Speaker (Aimee Maxwell): first instance of using DNA for innocence in England,
Collin Pitchfork, woman was raped and all men in the area gave their DNA
Law enforcements saw their suspected perpetrators were innocent 60% of the time
USA - 328 people exonerated
GA - 8 people exonerated, 3 by NY
Had to have a size of a quarter to run RFLP, once we could copy only needed a pinprick
Highest number of exonerations out of Texas, Dallas has the biggest number BUT kept all their evidence
if you can touch it, we can test it
Calvin Johnson: first exonerated in GA, represented by NY
Spent 16 years in prison, convicted by all white Clayton jury
Woman was attacked, description not good but sounded somewhat like Calvin
Said he was with his mother at the time, somewhat of an alibi
Hairs at crime scene did not match Calvins - prosecutors said they came from the laundry mat
More DNA evidence almost thrown away, saved and tested again, Calvin absolutely excluded
Went to legislature for private bill, got $500,000
Clarence Harrison: 18 years in prison


Woman standing at a bus stop at 5 in the morning, hit in the face and dragged to different locations
repeatedly raped
Clarences alibi was that he was at a gambling house across the street
Said he saw someone suspicious around that time, but when cops asked to be notified if he sees him
again, Clarence replied with attitude
Knew woman who was attacked, woman doesnt remember meeting him, but he did look the most
familiar out of the lineup
DNA resurfaced and tested, absolutely excluded
Robert Clark: 24 years in prison
Woman abducted in KFC, raped and car stolen
Robert found with stolen car, lied about where he got it
When police notified him of suspicion of him being involved in a rape case, he confessed he got the
car from Tony Arnold
Robert very tall and skinny, man described as almost victims height and medium build
Tony Arnold went on to rape 3 other women while Robert was in jail

Cold Case Speaker (Sheila Ross):
Victimology: find everything there is to know about the victim, their background, relationships, habits,
personality, etc.
Clydine Dallas: Oct 3, 1986
Well known and liked at her workplace, WSB TV
Did not show up one day, workplace worried and notified daughter (Tasha, 19)
Tasha found her mother bound, gagged, ransom note, sexually assaulted, and strangled
Purse is gone, car stolen, window ajar with size 10 foot print found under window
Swab stored, not enough evidence for RFLP, reopened in 2001 CODIS found cold hit, Richard
Hambrick in Fulton county jail for armed robbery, convicted 8 times
Questioned and denied everything
Actually lived in Clydines neighborhood, could watch her through his window, full DNA report
Nicole Smith: 15 years old in 1995
Went back home on her way to school because she had forgotten something
Cousin and sister heard two gunshots and ran into wooded area to find Nicole raped and killed
No hit in CODIS
9 years later, 13 year old raped 3 miles away, lived
CODIS showed it was same DNA in Nicoles case, made a sketch of perpetrator
Found a man that looked just like sketch, denied everything and refused to give DNA
Took DNA from a soda can he had drank and thrown away ELIMINATED, perpetrator never
found