Blood Stain Pattern Analysis

1895

Dr. Eduard Piotrowski of the University of Poland published the 1st methodical study of blood splatters titled: Concerning the Origin, Shape, Direction, and Distribution of the Bloodstains Following Head Wounds Caused by Blows.

His early research involves experiments on rabbits; he studys the blood patterns that were the results of him beating to death rabbits by hitting their heads with different instruments. His work is considered as a key development because it shows the importance of blood in crime investigation and influences pioneering investigators in early 20 century Germany and France - Dr. Paul Jeserich and Dr. Victor Balthazard.

Copy Shanna Freeman & Nicholas Gerbis "How Bloodstain Pattern Analysis Works" 24 April 2008. HowStuffWorks.com. <https://science.howstuffworks.com/bloodstain-pattern-analysis.htm> 29 May 2021

1895

1900

Dr. Paul Jeserich begins examination of murder scenes paying close attention to blood evidence. Dr. Victor Balthazard and associates undertake research

and conduct original experiments pertaining to blood trajectories and patterns.

They are considered as a key development because of their early attention to blood splatters and published data (Jeserich 1930; Balthazard et al 1939) pertaining

to the reconstruction of the angle of impact from the measurement of the length and width of small bloodstains found in blood patterns.

Early 1900s

1954

Paul Leland Kirk, a renowned scientist and criminalist, analyzes the bloodstains in home of Sam Sheppard in a highly publicized murder case and offers an interpretation of events based on blood splatter that the defense uses to exonerates Sheppard with a not guilty verdict in the 1955 case of Ohio vs. Sammuel Sheppard.

This was key to the development of blood splattern pattern as permissible evidence in the court room.

That same year, the Alaska Supreme Court accepted bloodstain-pattern analysis.

1966 - Sheppard retried and found not guilty.

1954

1971

Herbert MacDonell, an innovative forensic scientist, publishes"Flight Characteristics of Human Blood and Stain Patterns." The field see a vast expansion and modernization through his work, which details his findings and instructs crime scene investigators on how to interpret blood spatters, and his efforts to train others. MacDonell would continue to trained law-enforcement personnel in blood spatter analysis and developed courses to continue to train analysts.In 1973 he starts the Bloodstain Evidence Institute and in 1983, he co-founds the first Advanced Bloodstain Institute founded the International Association of Bloodstain Pattern Analysts (IABPA) making him a key in the development of the science.

MacDonell is considered the Father of bloodstain.

Shanna Freeman & Nicholas Gerbis "How Bloodstain Pattern Analysis Works 4 April H hHowStuffWorks.com.

<https://science.howstuffworks.com/bloodstain-pattern-analysis.htm> 30 May 2021

1971

National Academy of Sciences study finds serious deficiencies in the field of forensic science in the United States and notes that “the uncertainties associated with bloodstain-pattern analysis are enormous.” The authors note that “in general, the opinions of bloodstain-pattern analysts are more subjective than scientific.”

2021

Blood splatter analysis cannot give a account of the entire crime scene unlike CSI dramas on television portray. There are limitations - amount of blood, overlapping of blood, and even recently discussion if explosive gas from a gun can mask crime scene blood spatter patterns ( newscientist,com).

Alexander Yarin, an engineer at the University of Illinois, Chicago, and colleagues are among those working on improving blood splatter analysis. Physics is being used to re-examine blood trajectory. Gases from the gun muzzle can cause flying blood droplets to break up,changing the resulting spatter patterns (sciencemag.org). This is a key development in the ongoing search for the truth using science.

2021