Drug Deal

Evaluation of the Investigation

Like any other form of task, crime scene investigation has to follow defined criteria whereby each component of such protocol is closely interconnected to the objective of each step taken. However, every scene of crime is unique necessitating for assigned staff to employ a different tactic to process the particular area (McEwen & Regoeczi, 2015). Regardless of the varied approaches based on the uniqueness of each case, there are general functions that each investigator is required to undertake.

Firstly, a crime scene technical expert should have in hand a writing pad to note down field notes before interviewing the initial officer to reach a scene towards pinpointing a probable theory for the case. Special Agent Pete Moss accorded Special Agent April Pearson with the role of crime scene technician which she executed with a great deal of dedication. After SA Moss was able to gain a stronger warranty to secure the scene of crime, SA Pearson began executing her mandate concerning the fatal drug deal. Secondly, as the technician, AS Pearson examined the area for a number of reasons which include but not limited to understanding the basic layout of a crime scene, ascertaining the point of entry, outlet, and any evidence oriented items (McEwen & Regoeczi, 2015). Thirdly, an investigator is required to photograph the entire crime scene towards attaining a pictorial layout of the area as well as document images of article associated with evidence. She was able to acquire pictorial data for the entire scene using regular and close perspective photographs. Unfortunately, she failed to sketch out the exit area adjacent to the road.

Fourth, it is imperative that a sketched blueprint of the scene is made to accurately identify the position of any fatality as well as other evidence materials. This includes lifting of shoe and finger prints (McEwen & Regoeczi, 2015). SA Pearson took swabs of the bloodstains as well as reddish brown substance on the firearm retrieved from the suspected getaway car. This was critical elements of the fourth procedure towards ascertaining the theory that was adopted at the preliminary stage of the investigation. The final step involves processing of the crime area for every perceivable evidence material which may be in form of witness testimonies as well as physical ones that may require further analysis through various laboratory techniques. It is critical to note that the process part essentially encompasses the four previous steps. For instance, employing a ruler while taking up photographs was an essential part of the processes given she opted to map the scene using a gridlocked method for determining the spread of the dead victim’s blood. The detectives as well as SA Pearson erred in destroying the hand written notes as opposed to filing them as sufficient parts of evidence given that electronic data is subject to manipulation or data corruption making digital records unreadable.

Crime Scene Presentation in a Court Case

Special Agent Moss took due care to ensure that the warrant for the crime scene was sufficient towards objectively attaining all possible evidence concerning the drug deal. For instance, he considered that the chief suspect pursued Marshall on foot and that there must have been people on the street that observed the unfolding of events. Doing so ensured that witnesses were adequately traced towards ascertaining that Smith was the actual shooter in the homicide and attempted murder case. By presenting the subsequent search warrant to Superior Court Judge Bradley, SA Moss was able to ascertain that he adhered to due process toward gaining approval that the ensuing court case had sufficient weight to result in a summary conviction of Mr. Smith.

The photographs, laboratory analysis reports, and eye witness accounts as recorded by detectives John Roberts, Mark Rolland, and Erin Norse as well as SA Pearson ensured that the lead sheet contained detailed pointers to the actual killer. This was critical in ascertaining that the two suspects free on bond were not privy to the criminal intent of Mr. Smith. A failure to ensure that the search warrant was not wide enough to obtain sufficient eyewitness accounts could lead to a situation where it was impossible to attach their testimonies to the case. The outcome could have resulted in a wrongful conviction translating into a cold case.

Cold Case Scenario

Cold cases occur as a result of poor forensic investigation or inferior processing of suspects. In a situation where such an outcome progresses over duration of 30 years, numerous emerging situations may make the successful retrial neigh impossible. To begin with, the ability of any prosecutor towards satisfactorily pursuing a cold case tends to diminish as time elapses (Stein et al., 2017). For example, collected evidence may disappear in the course of such duration whereas the witnesses that actually knew the real circumstances surrounding a crime scene may have already met their demise. Fortunately, as a prosecutor of such a case, I can embark on collecting evidence from next of kin of people that existed in the vicinity of the crime at that time when it was first recorded. This implies that as prosecutor, I have to commit considerable resources to ensuring I have an effective team of investigators working with me towards attaining sufficient new information concerning the cold case. Given that forensic evidence might have already been determined as insufficient based on the current technological advances, gaining information from persons with first hand narrations of an already dead eyewitness would be the only avenue to embrace (Stein et al., 2017). Gaining evidence from a particular population privy to such knowledge could enable me as prosecutor to match pieces of new evidence together towards supporting a theory of crime with enough weight to convince the jury to make a rightful conviction.

References

McEwen, T., & Regoeczi, W. (2015). Forensic evidence in homicide investigations and prosecutions. Journal of forensic sciences, 60(5), 1188-1198.

Stein, S. L., Kimmerle, E., Adcock, J. M., & Martin, S. (2017). Cold Cases: An Exploratory Study into the Status of Unresolved Homicides in the USA. Investigative Sciences Journal, 9(2).