Police are able to link specific weapons to certain crime scenes using evidence collected at the scene.
One of the things we get asked a lot, is questions about evidence. After telling us there is no evidence against them, clients want to know how the police can claim they were in a certain room, when they weren’t there. How a certain weapon could possibly be connected to them. Or why investigators believe that a certain item ties them to a crime scene.
These are valid questions. After all, it’s their future on the line here, and they want to understand the whats, hows and whys of their case. However it isn’t only clients that ask these questions – our readers want to know as well. So based on that curiosity, we decided it was time to explain a few basics about evidence used in criminal cases. Hopefully this answers some of your questions, in this case, about guns.
There are six common ways that a detective or investigator can link a gun to a crime scene. However, before we break down those six factors, you have to remember that it isn’t only police officers that determine how evidence connects crimes to alleged criminals. Detectives, crime scene investigators, forensic scientists (also known as lab technicians), and reconstructionists are all involved in the study of a crime scene. There are hundreds of them all over Michigan.
Gunpowder Residue:
When a gun is fired, the bullet may look like it’s the only thing that comes out of the barrel, but it isn’t. Along with rapidly expanding gas, a flash of fire from a small explosion, and sound waves, there are burning powder particles that are forced down the barrel with the bullet. These particles will settle on whatever object or objects are closest to the barrel.
This pattern is referred to as gunpowder residue, and its dispersal varies based on how far the weapon is from the target (and other nearby objects). Because crime scene investigators are familiar with the different types of patterns left by specific firearms, they are able to determine with relative accuracy how close the gun was to the object it left traces on.
For example, if a person is shot by someone who is standing only a few feet away, and the gun is mere inches from the victim, there will be ‘burn marks’ in the skin around the entry wound from the burning gunpowder. From these burn marks experts will be able to determine how close the murderer was standing at the time. Another way in which gunpowder residue explains crime certain scenes, is if a person is found shot in the head with a gun near their hand. It may appear to be a suicide, but if the deceased person has no gunpowder residue on their hands it can be assumed that they didn’t shoot themselves. This means that, no matter what the scene looks like, the investigators can rule out suicide as an option, and focus instead on solving a murder.
Trajectory:
Trajectory means the path or course of a bullet as it moves from the barrel to it’s target. Because of the curvature of the earth’s surface and factors like gravity, bullets do not fly in straight lines over distances. Rather, they slowly curve towards the ground, getting closer and closer to earth the further they fly. This is important information for crime scene reconstructionists to remember, as a bullet’s trajectory can help them figure out a lot about the shooter.
Special plastic or fiberglass rods, or strong nylon string is used by crime scene investigators to track the trajectories of bullets at a crime scene. This technique, called “stringing” allows the investigators to see exactly where a bullet was fired from. This helps them to determine where the shooter was standing and how tall he/she was. Using this information, they can eliminate certain suspects and get a clearer idea of how the events that led to the shooting took place.
Join The Kronzek Firm next time, when we will be discussing the next two items on the list. Until then, if you or a loved one have been charged with a gun crime, or accused of any other criminal activity in Michigan, contact The Kronzek Firm immediately at 866 766 5245. Our experienced defense attorneys have spent decades successfully defending the people of Michigan against allegations of assault, robbery, sex assault and drug crimes. We have earned positive outcomes for hundreds of clients over the decades. We can help you too.