Continuation of Topic:

Crime Laboratory Services

1. Ballistic examination
Forensic Ballistic Examination is actual data establish in the study of firearms, ammunition and traces of
their actions which indicate the presence (absence) of circumstances relating to the subject matter of proof
on a particular criminal case.

2. Questioned Document Examination

-t his is used to determine the presence of alterations, erasures, superimposition, insertions and
defalcations in a questioned document.
- it determines whether the handwriting is genuine or not and identify the writer especially if the letter
us poison letter or threat.
- an effective tool in determining counterfeit bills, stamps, labels etc. And to determine the make and
model of e typewriter used in making spurious or poisoned letter.

3. Personnel Identification or Dactyloscopy

- the oldest an highly reliable of identifying a person whether dead or alive.
- used to established the identity f known or unknown deceased person whose identification is subject for
question by comparing his fingerprints with those on records.
- comparing questioned and known friction skin ridge impressions from fingers, palms, and toes to
determine if the impressions are from the same person.

4. Photography
- "a picture speaks a thousand words". man's memory and interpretation if certain events varies
depending on his perception, bias, prejudice and state of the body and mind a the time he witnessed an
event.
- the picture of the crime scene will speak for itself.

5. Polygraph Examination
- method of the laboratory examination, although inadmissible as evidence in court by itself is over a
reliable as extracting and verifying information from suspects, victims, witnesses or informer.
- it helps in providing leads to the investigator and in establishing the facts of an offense location of stolen
goods or whereabouts of wanted person.
- any person lying reacts to a set of prepared questions compared to a person who is telling the truth.
This marked difference in physiological responses or body reaction which is recorded in a polygraph machine.

Death:

Medico-Legal Aspect of Death

Death—it is defined as the absence of life in a living matter. Since life is the sum total of all activities in which
the physical integrity and biological properties are maintained, the concept of death is the loss of all of these
activities and properties. There is life when the cells remain healthy and functioning; food and water are
digested and assimilated; excretion and chemical reaction occurs in the human being, the signs of life include
the power of locomotion, respiration, circulation, brain activity and the presence of the faculties of sense.
I. Kinds of Death

a. Somatic Death - Clinical Death

It is a complete, continuous, persistent cessation of respiration, circulation and almost all brain functions
of an organism. It is usually pronounced by a physician or other members of the family. . Ordinarily, the
physician will discharge his duty if he listens with a stethoscope for signs of breathing or beating of the heart,
intermittently for half-minute intervals throughout period of 10—15 minutes and also examining the eye of a
flash light will show the pupil assumes a mid-position and dilated; and the corneal and light reflexes
disappear.

b. Molecular Death - Cellular Death

It is the cessation of life of the individual cells in the whole body, which occurs one at a time after somatic
death. The cells die after varying periods of time depending upon the ability to function without blood supply
and oxygen. Nerve cells and brain cells die earlier about 5 minutes after death while muscle cells live longer
until the onset of rigor mortis which is about 3-6 hours. Thus the tissues of the organism die in bits and pieces
after somatic death

c. Apparent Death – State of Suspended Animation

It is the state of temporary cessation of vital activities of the body or vital processes were depressed to
the minimum compatible with life. This condition is not actually death although classified under the kinds of
death, because the person or organism is still alive although it seems that there are no signs of life.
Apparent death maybe seen in diseases or conditions like in catalepsy, uremia, hysteria, drowning,
electrocution and sometimes in new born infants, although there are cases wherein some persons have been
known to be able to induce the state voluntarily.

II. Common Signs of Death

a. Cooling of the Body/ Algor Mortis

The metabolic processes and other biochemical changes in the body producing heat and energy as well as
the function of the hypothalamus controlling the body temperature stopped upon death; thereby the body
temperature gradually decreases until it assumes the temperature of the environment. The lowering of the
body temperature is one of the earliest signs of death. The body cools by radiation, conduction and
convection.
The rate of all the body temperature is most rapid in the first hour after death and then progressively
slower during the next 6-9 hours until it reaches the temperature of the surroundings beyond 12 hours.

The normal body temperature in a living person is 37*C or 98*F but upon death the temperature gradually
decreases. The fall of 15*C to 20*F is considered as death of the body.

Post-mortem Caloricity—is the rise of temperature of the body after death due to rapid and early
putrefactive changes or some internal changes. It is usually observed in the first 2 hours after death. Below
are the folloing that affect the rate of cooling of the dead body.
a. Body factors
b. body size
c. age
d. infectious diseases
e. death from asphyxia

Environmental factors
 a. effect of clothing
b. air temperature and movement
c. environmental and room temperature
d. effect of water

b. Insensibility of the Body and Loss of Power to Move

The central nervous system which is the brain and spinal cord is the seat of all the faculties of senses and
the power of locomotion so that upon the death of this system will also completely loss the faculties of all
senses and the power to move.

Changes in the Eyes

Upon death, when the eyes are open the person stare in a vacant expression without movement of the
eyes in any direction. Further examination will reveal changes in the eyes.
a. loss of corneal and light reflexes
b. haziness of the cornea
c. fixation of the pupil
d. flaccidity of the eyeball

Changes in the Skin

a. change of color
b. loss of elasticity of the skin
c. opacity of the skin
d. absence of reaction to injury

c. Cessation of Heart Action and Circulation

The heart is a muscular organ which performs vital function as a pump organ and therefore distributes
blood to all parts of the body in its contraction and relaxation. The heart beat is almost synchronous with the
pulse beat. Upon death the heart stops beating in a persistent and continuous manner which cannot be
revived by cardiac message and other resuscitative measures for about a period of 5 minutes.
Subsequently, the pulse beat stooped and also the circulation or blood flow to different parts of the body.
In this condition the person is pronounced to be dead. In case of decapitation or cutting of the head and
judicial hanging, the heart beat persist for 15-1 hour.

Methods of Detecting Cessation of Heart Action and Circulation

Palpation of the pulse and heart beat. There will be no pulse and heart beat when palpated in a dead
person
Auscultation with the aid of stethoscope or placing the ear at the region of the heart in the left chest to
hear the heart sounds. Upon death, no sounds heard. No point of maximum impulse observes upon death.
Fluoroscopic examination-the movement of the shadow of the heart can be seen if the heart is still
contracting and relaxing in a living person, but upon death this movement disappears

Electro-cardiograph
-the heart in a living person undergo certain electrical discharge and emission following a conducting
system in its contraction and relaxation which can be recorded in an electro-cardio graphic machine. The
recorded tracing of the living heart is different from that of a tracing in a dead heart.
-examination of the peripheral circulation

Examples: Magnus’ test, opening of small arteries, pressure on the finger nails, diaphanous test, application of
heat on the skin, dropping of melted wax

d. Cessation of Respiration
Ordinarily a person is breathing as observed by the upward and downward movement of the chest and
abdomen. It has been observed that when a person is dying the breathing becomes irregular and then
suddenly in gasps separated by long period of intervals until a last expiratory movement which is usually
accepted as the outward and visible sign of death occurred. A person can hold his breath not longer than
three and a half minutes and a persistent, continuous cessation of respiration after five minutes without
spontaneous breathing and repeated testing for at least two minutes interval at each testing is considered as
a respiratory failure; however a twelve hour period of treatment with respirator is required in some cases.

Methods of Detecting Cessation of Respiration

-observance of the upward and downward movement of the chest and abdomen in the process of
respiration. No movement observed upon death.
-palpation of the respiratory movement of the chest and abdomen. There will be no feel of the
movement upon death.
-by auscultation with the aid of stethoscope or placing of the ear at the region of the chest to hear the
breath sounds. No breath sounds heard upon death
-examination with the aid of a mirror
-examination with the aid of feathers or fibers
-examination using a glass of water
-examination using a lighted candle, match or any material

e. Changes in the Eye

Upon death, when the eyes are open the person stare in a vacant expression without movement of the
eyes in any direction. Further examination will reveal changes in the eyes.
a. loss of corneal and light reflexes
b. haziness of the cornea
c. fixation of the pupil
d. flaccidity of the eyeball
e. Changes in the skin
f. Non-reaction of the skin to heat

f. Changes in the Skin

a. change of color
b. loss of elasticity of the skin
c. opacity of the skin
d. absence of reaction to injury

g. Non-reaction of the skin to heat