Investigation Techniques Of A Homicide Essay -- essays research papers

Investigation Techniques of A HomicideThe O. J. Simpson double murder trial is maybe the most publicizedcase this decade. However, before the police can haul Simpson and prosecutehim, they must investigate. The investigation techniques LAPD used are used in totallyover the world.CRIME SCENEPatrol officers received a flounce call at Nicole Simpsonsresidence. They arrived on scene and discovered two bodies. They looked well-nighto see if the suspect is anywhere around then they checked to qualify the twosubjects were dead. The officers immediately contacted the detectives on dutyand supervisors and then secured the area to get a line no contamination to thescene. The officers duties included making sure that no unofficial people mayenter the scene. They also have to protect all possible evidences left by thesuspect.In the Simpson case, the officers did non do a very good job at securingthe scene. They had allowed unauthorized officers the go through and through the scene, th uscausing slightly contamination to the crime scene. This error had allowed the exoneration to attack the creditability of the police department.CAUSE AND TIME OF DEATHWhen the officers first arrived the scene, they truism two people lying in apool of cable. The officers did not know if they were dead and if they were, howand when. After the medical examiner looked at the bodies and the wounds on thevictims, he concluded that they were stabbed to death. The time of death was abit harder to determine. finale caused some changes to the bodies. Theinvestigator looked at the changes and was able to estimate a time of death.Some of the changes the examiners look for are lost of body temperature,rigor mortis, and premier lividity. The body temperature go a way start todecrease after death. The body will also start to stiffen after death, this iscall rigor mortis. validity mortis usually starts to set in two to quaternity hours afterdeath. season of death can be estimated by the stiffness of the body. Another wayto estimate the time of death is postmortem lividity. When the body ceased tofunction, gravity pulls the blood down and settled at the lowest points of thebody. Postmortem lividity may appear on the body between half hour to four hoursafter death.The determination of t... ...ered more evidences to link Simpson to the murders.All the testimonies showed that Simpson had actually be after the crime. He evenhad an alibi which was shaky. Simpson also had a history of wedding abuse. Allthe evidences pointed unfavorably toward O. J. Simpson. The elements of thecrime the police needed were established and Simpson was officially Charged.DNAThere were no fingerprints at the crime scene. However, there were someblood which belonged to neither victims. Thanks to modern technology,scientists can detect differences in peoples DNA. DNA is the geneticfingerprint of a person. The principal of DNA appointment is the identical asfingerprints, no two persons can have the same composition. During the Simpsontrial, the admissibility of DNA evidence was highly debated.The O. J. Simpson trial had ended for a socio-economic class now. O. J. was cleared ofmurdering his former wife and her friend. The police is still investigating thiscase. The LAPD do some mistakes which allowed the defense to attack thecreditability of the police. This showed the importance of protecting thecrime scene. otherwise than these mistakes, the LAPD conducted a almost text bookperfect investigation.t