Investigation Techniques Of A Homicide Essay -- essays research papers

Investigation Techniques of A HomicideThe O. J. Simpson double murder trial is perhaps the most publicizedcase this decade. However, before the practice of law foundation arrest Simpson and prosecutehim, they must investigate. The investigation techniques LAPD used are used allover the world.CRIME SCENEPatrol officers received a disturbance call at Nicole Simpsonsresidence. They arrived on scene and discovered two bodies. They looked aroundto see if the suspect is anywhere around then they checked to get back the twosubjects were dead. The officers immediately contacted the detectives on dutyand supervisors and then secured the area to ensure no contamination to thescene. The officers duties included making sure that no unauthorized population mayenter the scene. They also have to protect all possible evidences left by thesuspect.In the Simpson case, the officers did not do a very trade good job at securingthe scene. They had allowed unauthorized officers the go through the sce ne, thuscausing some contamination to the criminal offense scene. This error had allowed thedefense to attack the creditability of the police department. own AND TIME OF DEATHWhen the officers first arrived the scene, they saw two people lying in apool of blood. The officers did not know if they were dead and if they were, howand when. After the medical exam 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. Death caused some changes to the bodies. Theinvestigator looked at the changes and was able to consider a time of death.Some of the changes the examiners look for are lost of clay temperature,rigor mortis, and postmortem lividity. The body temperature will start todecrease after death. The body will also start to stiffen after death, this iscall rigor mortis. Rigor mortis usually starts to set in two to four hours afterdeath. clock time of death can be estimated by the sti ffness of the body. Another wayto estimate the time of death is postmortem lividity. When the body ceased tofunction, gravity pulls the blood shovel in and settled at the lowest points of thebody. Postmortem lividity may appear on the body between half hour to four hoursafter death.The endeavor of t... ...ered more evidences to link Simpson to the murders.All the testimonies showed that Simpson had actually planned the crime. He evenhad an alibi which was shaky. Simpson also had a history of spousal abuse. Allthe evidences pointed unfavorably toward O. J. Simpson. The elements of thecrime the police needed were established and Simpson was formally Charged.DNAThere were no fingerprints at the crime scene. However, there were someblood which belonged to neither victims. Thanks to unexampled technology,scientists can detect differences in peoples DNA. DNA is the geneticfingerprint of a person. The principal of DNA identification is the same asfingerprints, no two persons can have t he same composition. During the Simpsontrial, the admissibility of DNA evidence was highly debated.The O. J. Simpson trial had ended for a year now. O. J. was cleared ofmurdering his former wife and her friend. The police is still analyse thiscase. The LAPD made some mistakes which allowed the defense to attack thecreditability of the police. This showed the importance of protecting thecrime scene. Other than these mistakes, the LAPD conducted a almost text bookperfect investigation.t