MICRO SAMPLE ANALYTICAL TECHNIQUES (SPECTROGRAPHIC)
Charles E. Harvey, College of Engineering, Washington State University
Mr. Harvey's presentation covered some general methods and particularly micro sample spectroscopy including collection and handling techniques and a micro combustion-metallic distillation flask.
MICROSAMPLING - ITS USE IN INSTRUMENTATION FOR CRIMINAL IDENTIFICATION
Charles W. Keller, Applications Chemistry, Perkin-Elmer Corporation, Los Angeles
Mr. Keller covered the use of several instruments capable of utilizing microsamples:
FACILITIES AMD PROCEDURES OF THE CALIFORNIA FURNITURE AND BEDDING INSPECTORS (FBI) LABORATORY
Gordon Damant, Furniture and Bedding Inspector's Laboratory, Sacramento,
California
The primary purpose of the California F.B.I. Laboratory is to serve as a consumer control laboratory to verify that the labeling of furniture required by law is actually correct as to composition and claims. The types of materials analyzed fall into four major categories: (1) all types of animal, vegetable and mineral fibers, (2) feather identification, (3) foam analysis, (4) control of sterilization of second hand furniture. They do both qualitative identification of the type of material and quantitative determinations of each type in mixtures, whether it be mixtures of fibers, feathers, or rubber sprayed hair, and in some furniture can get mixtures of all types of materials involved. Analytical techniques have been worked out for quantitating various mixtures.
Some other types of examinations carried out to verify the labeling of furniture include tests for mildew proofing, moth proofing, water proofing, washability, grease content of cotton, chromium content of feathers, ammonia content of second hand and used cotton, chromium content of feathers, ammonia content of second hand and used cotton, moisture contents, oxygen number of feathers and residual formaldehyde and urine content in second hand furniture.
For quantitative analysis the laboratory uses mostly vet chemical methods, although some (such as fibers) must be done by hand. IR spectrometry is used primarily for identification of synthetic materials. Of the instrumental techniques, microscopy is probably used more than anything else; but also include visible and U.V. spectrophotometry, digital fibrograph (for classifying cotton), moisture balance, tensile strength testor, gas chromatography, a garnett machine (for making synthetic blends of fibers for standards) and photomicrography. They are investigating applications of differential thermal analysis and gas chromatography pyrolysis.
The California F.B.I. Laboratory has a reference collection which is perhaps unique in the United States. They have approximately 1140 standard samples in their library including samples of each of the approximate 60 synthetic fibers on the market, 550 samples of feathers and down, 140 samples of vegetable fibers from all over the world, large samples of hair, different cottons, different wools, and foam materials.
Any criminalist that has a problem in identifying or quantitating any fiber or other furniture or bedding material should take advantage of the facilities of the Furniture and Bedding Inspector's Laboratory or at least confer with them. There is no charge for analysis for any governmental agency and $20 for non-governmental. They would be prepared for court testimony if needed. Address; 1020 N St., Sacramento 14, California.
SEARCH ADD SEIZURE PROBLEMS CONFRONTING THE CRIMINALIST
Keith Sorenson, District Attorney, San Mateo County
The 1955 Cahan decision regarding unreasonable search (bugging) and the 1961 Mattas vs. Ohio case decision by the U.S. Supreme Court extending unreasonable search doctrine to all State and Federal courts were cited by Mr. Sorenson as the principal cases on which other decisions have come regarding admissability of evidence obtained by search.
Mr. Sorenson stated there are three ways to follow legal search and seizure:
The search incident to arrest can include (1) immediate premisses (outhouses), (2) house only if arrested in house or (3) car if arrested in car. The search of the car if not arrested in the car is very controversial at the present time, with the courts excluding the evidence more and more frequently as should have been done by search warrant. This is not always practical and each case must be judged by the particular sit-uation and immediate need. In a drunk driver arrest, can search interior of car and glove compartment for alcoholic beverage (but probably not the trunk).
A search warrant cannot be contested like a search on a legal arrest or by consent. A search warrant will issue on probable cause. Courts are holding more and more that the warrant must be specific as to what is being sought and cannot search for other items. However, evidence found regarding other crimes is valid if the search location of the other evidence is consistent with valid search areas for the evidence specified in the warrant. (Narcotics found in a 3" deep kitchen drawer would not be allowed if warrant specified search for a stolen office typewriter.)
Consent may be implied by victim or by family (best to have signed) [Editor's note: or by suspect, also preferably signed].
Fingerprints, clothing, hair, photographs, voice and shoes are not considered self incriminating.
NEUTRON ACTIVATION STUDIES
Vincent P. Quinn, General Atomics, San Diego
A REVIEW OF THE METHODS FOR ALCOHOL DETERMINATION USED BY THE TREASURY DEPARTMENT
Herman Muron, Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Laboratory, San Francisco
The San Francisco laboratory is one of 8 regional laboratories. The Alcohol and Tobacco Tax Division of the U.S. Treasury Department is responsible for the collection of alcohol taxes and also does some narcotics work and covers the National and Federal Firearms Acts.
Samples submitted to the A & TTD laboratory often require distillation to eliminate the effect of dissolved solids, but many samples can be measured fairly accurately directly without distillation.
Mr. Muron discussed in general the following methods supplemented with Vu-Graph slides:
The "official" methods of the A & TTD laboratory are found in the Book of Methods. AOAC, 9th Edition (10th available shortly) and in Treasury Department Publications. Hydrometer readings are interpolated to 60°F using an NBS table (Gauging Manual, Treasury Department Publication 455, 1962 Edition, $2.50 Superintendent of Documents).
CHANGING ATTITUDES III DRINKING DRIVER ENFORCEMENT AS REFLECTED BY THE ACTION OF COURTS, PROSECUTORS AND SOCIETY
Lowell W. Bradford, Santa Clara District Attorney's Office Criminalistics Laboratory
Mr. Bradford first reviewed the development of interpretation of B.A. levels from the original National Safety Council recommendations through the Indiana University Symposium on Alcohol and Road Traffic, the International Conference on Alcohol and Road Traffic and New York law making driving with a .10% B.A. level a crime without raising the question of alcoholic influence.
Strongly recommended for study and reference were:
Other changing concepts and considerations covered were:
None of the educational and enforcement methods have been truly successful. The drinking driver has not changed. Bradford raised the question of who is the drinking driver, that is, what do they have in common by which they can be identified and thereby reached in an effort to attack this social problem.
ALCO-DRIVER EXHIBITION III SPARKS, NEVADA
Dr. David Roberts, M.D., Nevada Safety Council, 129 Ho. Center St., Reno, Nevada
A commercial movie filmed at Sparks by Charles Cahill Associates (Los Angeles, about $120) as a safety film presenting the concept of alcoholic influence on driving was first shown. The primary value of this movie to any crime laboratory would be for use at service club talks and introduction of the drinklng-driving problem in police training schools. It is non-technical but fairly well put together.
Very little detailed information was given in the discussion of the study following the film. (The full report is now available from the Nevada Safety Council at the above address for $1.00).
THE DETECTION OF ILLEGAL GAMING DEVICES
Edward A. Olson, Chairman, Nevada Gaming Control Board
Most illegal gaming in California have crooked operators. Showing the game to be crooked will make a conviction of illegal gaming easier.
Mr. Olsen introduced one of his investigators to give a very informal talk and demonstration of some illegal ("crooked") dice.
A NEW SPECTROGRAPH
Charles E. Harvey, Washington State University
Mr. Harvey is constructing a new special purpose 8 meter spectrograph utilizing a 360,000 line 8 x 12 inch B & L grating with a dispersion of 1 A/am.
PROBLEMS AMD ADVANTAGES OF TEST FIRING WEAPONS INTO WATER
Lowell Bradford, Santa Clara District Attorney Office
Water recovery is superior to cotton, waste cotton, oiled sawdust and etc., especially for lead bullets, particularly .22 bullets. Water eliminates fibrous polishing and offers much greater ease of recovery. .45 Autos are stopped in 4 feet of water and .30-06 are easily stopped in 12 feet. Shotgun pellets can also be recovered in water tank.
Normal load, soft-point rifle bullets generally mushroom badly and full Jacket bullets show collapsed sides. Rifle loads should be reduced to muzzle velocities of 1700 - 1800 feet/second to eliminate this distortion. Example: 23 1/2 grains of 4198 powder gives a muzzle velocity in this range. This loading will also work for soft-points.
No pellets recovered from a shot gun are, perfectly spherical. The pellets are dimpled from compression and some are deformed from wiping the barrel.
Flattened | Deformed | Normal | |
Cutt's cylinder | 24% | 37% | 39% |
Cutt's 1/2 Choke | 34 | 45 | 31 |
Cutt's 1/2 Choke | 21 | 55 | 23 |
Santa Clara's bullet recovery tank has a 4 foot diameter (4 foot deep tapered funnel) section at top with sound insulation around margin and with top flush with floor. The muzzle is pushed through a rubber gasket in floor above tank center. Below the top 4 foot gas blast area is a 12 foot long 2 foot diameter tank. The bottom is tapered with 60° cone which nicely accepts a large plastic funnel for recovery.
STRIATED TOOL MASK IMPRESSIONS AND MATHEMATICAL MODELS
James W. Brackett, San Mateo County Coroner's Office
The criteria for matching toolmarks and bullet striations have not been well defined. The problems of developing proper criteria have included:
Brackett went through a series of mathematical derivations of general distribution equations. Although he is only still in preliminary analysis of the problems, Brackett appears to be on an approach that may well put striation comparison on a firm basis and allow probability determination of the significance of an observed "match".
IDENTIFICATION NOTES OK THE GYROJET WEAPONS SYSTEM
Duayne Dillon, Contra Costa Sheriff's Office
Gryojet weapons are actually miniature rocket launchers (hand launch = pistol, shoulder launch = carbine and spear gun). They were developed for possible military applications and are now to be made commercially. There are 1000 specially made handlaunchers for collectors ($250) and the mass production handlaunchers will have a production cost of about $2.50, with the rockets about 15% each.
Recent articles in magazines have been exaggerated and inaccurate.
The advantages of the system are the very low recoil, low noise level, light weight, simple low cost design and high rate of fire.
The launch tube is a smooth bore seamless and vented tube with an I.D. of .512 inches. The hammer drives the rocket back into a fixed, machined firing pin.
The rocket is .50/inch in diameter, copper-coated steel with a steel disc (containing 4 ports at 15° angle) crimped into the base. The nor-mal nuzzle velocity is between 100-200 f.p.s. so it would be impossible to commit suicide with the weapon. The spin rate is 2.1 inches/foot and burn out is in 40 feet in 0.12 seconds, at which time the rocket is at maximum velocity and its energy is about equivalent to a .357 magnum. At 40 feet, accuracy is very good and at 100 feet give patterns of about 7 inch diameter (but won't go through much).
The only probable means of identifying the launcher from which a rocket was fired is by the firing pin markings. Contact of the rocket between the tube and barrel is random. Hammer marks on nose (if any) would generally be destroyed on impact.
If rocket strikes victim while still burning, the inner surface of the clothing will probably bear four smudge patterns from the streaming gas of the spinning rocket.