Study of the crime scene. Who commands here?

Subject

English

Issue

Episode 2

Study of the crime scene. Who commands here?

Supporters

Ronny Acosta A00136862

Ashley Elizabeth Tejeda Valerio A00149872

Habit Yarull Soler A00150722

Michael Agramonte A00146797

Jorge Luis Contreras A00145898

Juan Carlos santos cepeda ID A00145688

Teacher

Pedro Chalas De La Cruz

Place and date

Santo Domingo de Guzmán

30/11/2023
 Study of the crime scene. Who commands here?

Contents
Introduction. ....................................................................................................... 3
Objetivo. ............................................................................................................. 4
Episode 2 Study of the crime scene. Who commands here? .............................. 5
Chapter I: ............................................................................................................ 5
Scene investigation. ............................................................................................ 5
Chapter II: ........................................................................................................... 8
El papel y las limitaciones de la ciencia forense. ............................................... 8
Chapter III: .......................................................................................................10
Caso real: El secuestro del bebé Lindbergh. ....................................................10
CONCLUSION. ...............................................................................................13
Bibliography .....................................................................................................13
Anexos. .............................................................................................................15
 Study of the crime scene. Who commands here?

Introduction.

In the intriguing setting of criminal investigation, the first task is to remove the
curious, even if some challenge this norm. From the mysterious crime at the Los
Galindos farmhouse in 1975 to the present, preserving the crime scene is
essential. This text explores the crucial work of scientific police, the evolution of
forensic kits and the diversity of cases, from footprints to unusual marks that reveal
dark secrets. The search for the weapon and phenomena such as "Medea
syndrome" offer a shocking glimpse into the complexity of criminology.

In the complex journey of the legal system, from instruction to trial, marked
differences are outlined between judicial systems, such as the American one with
its election of judges and prosecutors by vote, contrasting with the Spanish one,
where the majority of trials follow the method classic. Although the work of the
scientific police and the forensic laboratory is aimed at providing evidence, the final
power rests with the judge. This text explores the delicate dynamics of the trial,
where solid evidence can be questioned, legal strategies can dismantle
arguments, and the understanding of forensic techniques can be decisive. From
historical cases to the philosophical challenges of forensic science, the complexity
of determining acts and, crucially, intentions in the judicial process is revealed.

Plunging into the tumultuous scene of an infamous kidnapping, the 1932 Lindbergh
case stands as an investigative disaster that, paradoxically, led to the expansion of
the FBI under the direction of Edgar J. Hoover. From the kidnapping of the son of
legendary aviator Charles Lindbergh to the execution of Bruno Hauptmann, this
case marked a milestone that redefined criminal jurisdiction in the United States.
Through an intricate narrative, we will explore the mistakes made, the fight for the
truth and the challenges faced during the investigation and trial that shocked the
society of the time.
 Study of the crime scene. Who commands here?

.Objetivo.

The study of this chapter from the book "La Ciencia en la Sombra" can have
various objectives, depending on the educational or research context. Among
these, we can mention:
Understanding the Importance of Integrity at the Crime Scene: Analyzing the
significance of preserving the crime scene for effective investigation.
Exploring the Complexity of Trials and Forensic Science: Investigating how
trials can be complex, especially when solid evidence is questioned by skillful
lawyers.
Understanding the Limitations of Forensic Science: Analyzing the constraints
of forensic science in assessing the intentions of those involved.
Analyzing Specific Cases: Examining particular cases, such as the Lindbergh
kidnapping and the crime at Cortijo de Los Galindos, to illustrate the practical
application of forensic principles.
Highlighting the Role of Forensic Professionals: Emphasizing their
importance and recognizing the central role forensic professionals play in the
administration of justice.
Promoting Awareness of Forensic Methods, among others: Encouraging
students in related fields to expand their minds to broader areas and become
familiar with the complexity of these acts in criminology. Familiarizing
themselves with forensic methods, such as fingerprint identification and
analysis of physical evidence, etc.
 Study of the crime scene. Who commands here?

Episode 2 Study of the crime scene. Who commands here?

In the introduction he mentioned that the fascination we feel with crime is largely
due to series and films of the genre. In all of them there is a moment in which
someone discovers a criminal act, whether it is a body in the forest, in the trunk of
a car or a house that has been robbed and looted. In other cases, the plot begins
with a call to the emergency service, or with a character warning others that a
crime has been committed somewhere in the city.

Chapter I:

Scene investigation.

The first obligation of those in charge of the crime scene is to keep the onlookers
away. Ideally, people should notify the police and leave during an investigation, but
this doesn't always happen. There are always those who touch the corpse to see if
it's alive or try to revive it, even if it's as cold as ice, or those who steal the wallet
and valuables and run away, and even more bizarre incidents occur. In the case of
the Los Galindos farmhouse crime in August 1975, the entire town passed by while
they were looking for the judge, who was on vacation, influencing the case
remaining unresolved.

The first to be clear about not contaminating the scene is the forensic police officer.
Typically, when investigating a crime scene, it's crucial that the officers themselves
do not leave fingerprints or signs that could confuse the investigation, and for that,
gloves, shoe covers, or whatever is necessary are used.

In series or movies, they used bulky briefcases. This case included reagents such
as dragon's blood, lead carbonate, and lampblack, used to visualize fingerprints
based on whether they are on light or dark backgrounds. It also contained
 Study of the crime scene. Who commands here?

chemicals like metalloid iodine or materials for making molds of fingerprints, and
tools for drawing plans and making reconstructions. This briefcase has been
updated and simplified as new reagents have appeared, such as ninhydrin for
fingerprints and currently 5MTN or DFO.

Nowadays, there is no official briefcase, but several, depending on the type of

crime investigated, whether homicides, fires, or bomb attacks. It even includes
equipment for obtaining latent fingerprints that must be fixed with cyanoacrylate
vapors and then revealed with a xenon arc laser. In addition to the fingerprint
acquisition equipment, already present in the thirties, materials for obtaining DNA
samples and reagents to detect blood or other biological fluids through
chemiluminescence have been incorporated. Besides the briefcase, a complete
photographic equipment to document everything and a police vehicle, sometimes
specifically assigned for this purpose, are necessary.

Another thing sought at crime scenes is footprints. Properly analyzed footprints can
also serve to identify the perpetrators or people present at the crime scene. The
sole pattern can be used to analyze the type of footwear used and the wear of a
specific shoe. Careful observation can provide indications of size, weight, or some
physical peculiarities (limping, right- or left-handed, etc.). Databases exist for tire
prints, footwear prints, paints, and anything that can be found at a crime scene.

There are cases where the visual inspection alone solves the crime because some
criminals are not careful and leave anything from cigarette butts to receipts with
their name or dentures.
 Study of the crime scene. Who commands here?

In cases of home invasions or break-ins, it is common for criminals to use gloves to

avoid leaving fingerprints, but before entering someone else's home, they check
that no one is around by listening to the wall or window, leaving ear prints or hairs
that can be used to incriminate them. Earprints are considered to have value in
individualizing a person and can be used in court.

In sexual crimes, it is sometimes common to find bite marks on the victim's body,
which, in some cases, have been used to identify the culprit. The first case solved
in this way was that of Linda Peacock, a fifteen-year-old girl whose body was found
strangled and with signs of violence on August 6, 1967. A bite mark on the right
chest allowed identifying the culprit, who turned out to be Gordon Hay, a
seventeen-year-old neighbor with a history of juvenile delinquency. As Hannibal
Lecter said, "we covet what we see." In many sexual crimes, one has to look in the
victim's closest environment.

Another crucial point in the initial inspection in murder cases is to try to find the
murder weapon. Many times, it appears in the same place, or the killer gets rid of it
nearby, so it is necessary to search in containers, sewers, or nearby ponds or
rivers. The same weapon and the way the wounds are inflicted can give a fairly
accurate idea of the circumstances of the crime. If the crime is planned, the killer
will use a firearm or a knife. In general, something prepared for that purpose. If the
crime is the result of an argument or a heated moment, it is more common to use
an opportunistic weapon, i.e., any object that the criminal finds at the scene, such
as a stick, a tool, a bottle, or even something more exotic.

How can a mother murder her two young children? This disorder is known as the
Medea syndrome, named after the mythological character who killed her children
to revenge her husband, Jason, who had abandoned her. The fact that the
 Study of the crime scene. Who commands here?

syndrome of killing children to harm the spouse is named after a woman is

somewhat sexist because, looking at the most recent cases in Spain, in most of
them, it is the man who kills the children, as in the case of José Breton, who
murdered and burned his two children in Las Quemadillas (Córdoba), or the more
recent one from July 2015 in Morana (Pontevedra), where David Oubel allegedly
killed his two daughters, aged four and nine.

Chapter II:

El papel y las limitaciones de la ciencia forense.

We have already completed the instruction, that is, the entire investigation and
compilation of evidence to be presented in court, and now we reach the trial. The
process of instruction and trial is also fundamentally different, starting with the fact
that in the United States, judges and prosecutors are elected, and all trials involve
a jury. In Spain, under the law of Minister Juan Alberto Belloch, some crimes are
judged by a popular jury, such as in the case of Francisco Camps for the suits or
the murder of Asunta Basterra, but the majority of trials still follow the classic
system in which the judge delivers the verdict.

It must be very clear that the judge always has the final say, and all the work of
forensic police or the forensic laboratory is aimed at providing evidence in a trial, in
which the person in charge of the investigation will only testify as a forensic expert.
Later, they will have to face questions from the prosecution and the defense.

They only need to present the evidence in a way that the judge and jury
understand and have more elements for judgment. Could it happen that solid
evidence is dismantled by a skilled lawyer, or because the judge or the jury do not
 Study of the crime scene. Who commands here?

understand what the expert is saying? Yes, it happens many times. In fact, when
the evidence is strong, the defense's strategy is usually to try to nullify the
procedure by finding errors in the chain of custody, the processing of samples, or
any other phase.

It can also happen that a very innovative technique is used in the laboratory, and
when it comes to trial, the evidence may not be accepted because the judge or the
jury is unable to understand it or lacks the perspective to recognize its true
importance.

In 1939, Walter Dinivan was murdered in Bournemouth, England. The motive for
the crime was theft. Cigarette butts smoked by Walter and another person were
found at the crime scene, indicating that the perpetrator was someone from his
close circle with whom he had been before his death. The main suspect was
Joseph Williams, who had the blood type AB, very rare in the area, and several
witnesses placed him with the deceased on the night of the incident. The
determination of blood type in saliva was something discovered by the Japanese
Samuro Sitia in 1925. The defense managed to convince the jury that blood type
cannot be determined by saliva. The suspect later confessed to a journalist that he
indeed killed him. In the United States, the Frye standard is used, based on the
acceptance by the scientific community of the method used and its proper
application, to determine if a scientific test can be valid in a trial.

One must also consider an aspect of legal philosophy. Forensic science can only
determine actions but not judge intentions. There is a principle that states, "the act
does not make a person guilty unless the mind is also guilty." For example, two
people go hunting, one is shot, and the companion dies.
 Study of the crime scene. Who commands here?

Now, imagine another situation: two people go hunting, one shoots the shotgun,
and the companion dies. In the first case, it is an accident; in the second, a
homicide or murder has been committed because the shot was intentional. A
forensic expert can determine in both cases the shotgun model, the shot distance,
and the type of cartridge, and a forensic doctor will study the injuries caused by the
pellets. Hardly either of the two can assess the intentionality of the shot, as that
must be determined in the trial, and, according to the judge's conclusion, the
shooter's conviction will be very different.

Chapter III:

Caso real: El secuestro del bebé Lindbergh.

To illustrate the issue of jurisdictional conflict and crime scene investigation, what
better than to analyze a case that was a disaster in how it was handled on all fronts
but served as an excuse for Edgar J. Hoover to propel the FBI and expand its
powers, declaring kidnappings as federal crimes.

Charles Lindbergh was the epitome of the American hero. The son of Swedish
immigrants to the United States and an aviator, at the age of twenty-five, he made
the first solo transatlantic flight from New York to Paris. Married to Anne Morrow,
their son, Charles Lindbergh Jr., was born in 1930. On March 1, 1932, the child
 Study of the crime scene. Who commands here?

was kidnapped by someone who broke into his room using a wooden ladder and
took him from his crib. A ransom note demanding fifty thousand dollars was left in
the room. There were many footprints around the house that were not processed,
along with three broken steps of a ladder. The father was willing to negotiate the
ransom, which the kidnappers took advantage of to increase the amount in
subsequent communications.

The investigation was carried out by the newly created police of the state of New
Jersey, led by Norman Schwarzkopf. Does the name sound familiar? He is the
father of the homonymous general who commanded the allied forces in the Gulf
War in the 1990s. Schwarzkopf saw an opportunity for personal glory and for the
unit he had just been assigned, although he had a bitter confrontation with Hoover
and the FBI, who eventually took over the case.

To further complicate matters, a retired seventy-two-year-old schoolteacher, John

F. Condon, volunteered and was accepted as an intermediary. The kidnappers
continued to send notes to the negotiator detailing instructions and increasing the
amount, which reached one hundred thousand dollars. In the first meeting with the
kidnappers, they claimed the child was in good health; in the second, fifty thousand
dollars were paid, and instructions were given to find the baby, supposedly on a
boat near the Elizabeth Islands, which was false.

On May 12, 1932, the child's body was found seven kilometers from the house,
partially buried and in an advanced state of decomposition. Identification was
possible thanks to the T-shirt, overlapping toe fingers, and the dimple on the chin.
The autopsy determined that he died from a severe blow to the head (speculated
 Study of the crime scene. Who commands here?

to have occurred when he fell down the stairs), so he was likely dead from the first
day.

The investigation went nowhere until September 16, 1934. On that day, a customer
paid the owner of the Warner Quintan service station in the eastern part of New
York with a gold certificate. The owner, Walter Lyle, recorded the car's license plate
out of fear that the bank would not accept the bill.

Additionally, one of the first studies in forensic biology was conducted by analyzing
the wood, which revealed that the ladder found near Lindbergh's house was made
from the same material as Hauptmann's attic, thanks to saw marks and wood
rings.

The trial was a farce since public opinion, including the jury members, had already
declared him guilty. The verdict was a death sentence. Hauptmann was executed
on April 3, 1936, after appeals were dismissed. At the last moment, he rejected
pleading guilty and confessing in exchange for life imprisonment. His wife, Anna
Hauptmann, fought throughout her life to prove her husband's innocence, and it
was a lengthy battle. She passed away in 1994 at the age of ninety-five.
 Study of the crime scene. Who commands here?

CONCLUSION.

The texts in this chapter emphasize the crucial importance of preserving the
integrity of the crime scene and the imperative involvement of highly specialized
forensic teams. The intricate nature of trials is addressed, where even solid
evidence can be challenged by shrewd lawyers, underscoring the inherent
limitation of forensic science in assessing the intentions of those involved. Various
aspects of criminal investigation are explored, ranging from the collection of
physical evidence to the identification of fingerprints and bite marks.

The mentioned cases, such as the Lindbergh kidnapping and the crime at the
Cortijo of Los Galindos, serve as specific examples illustrating the complexity and
vital significance of forensic work in crime resolution. These examples underscore
the need for meticulous evidence collection and scientific analysis to establish
conclusive facts in the judicial realm, highlighting the central role forensic
professionals play in the administration of justice.

Bibliography

J. M. Mulet (Denia, 1973) es catedrático de Biotecnología en la Universidad

Politécnica de Valencia e investigador en el Instituto de Biología Molecular y
Celular de Plantas, del que es vicedirector. En su faceta de divulgador científico ha
publicado Los productos naturales ¡vaya timo!, y en Destino Comer sin
miedo (Premio Prismas 2014 al mejor libro de ciencia editado en
castellano), Medicina sin engaños, La ciencia en la sombra, Transgénicos sin
miedo.

Titulo. La ciencia en la sobra

 Study of the crime scene. Who commands here?

Autor. José Miguel Mulet Salort

Capitulo. 2

Tema. El estudio de la Escena del Crimen. Quien manda aquí?

 Study of the crime scene. Who commands here?

Anexos.