Blood Splatter Analysis - Research Paper Example

Blood spatter analysis was sensationalized during the O.J. Simpson trial. Bloodstain pattern analysis, hereinafter referred to as (“BPA”), began in the late nineteenth century. However, while it has been studied for such a long time, the science and exact art of bloodstain pattern analysis has only recently become a staple in crime scene analysis. The first known study of blood spatters occurred at the Institute for Forensic Medicine in Poland, by Dr. Eduard Piotrowski. His studies resulted in the publication of his book "Concerning the Origin, Shape, Direction and Distribution of the Bloodstains Following Head Wounds Caused by Blows.

" The study of BPA is a combination of physics, biology and math. The investigation can take place at the scene of the crime or through the pictures that crime scene investigators take at the scene of a crime. The first time that blood spatter became highly sensationalized was 1955 in a case called Ohio v. Samuel Sheppard. Since 1955 when Dr. Paul Kirk first presented a bloodstain evidence affidavit in State of Ohio v. Samuel Sheppard, expert testimony on bloodstain interpretation has gained wide acceptance in U.S. courts (James, 1998).

At trial, an affidavit purported to be an expert opinion was submitted by Dr. Paul Kirk. This 1955 case landmarked one of the earliest instances of our legal system recognizing the importance of blood spatter analysis in investigating the scene of a murder. The testimony offered outlined the position of the murderer or suspect and that of the victim. Ultimately, despite strong objections, the testimony demonstrated that the victim was assailed by the defendant’s left hand. The initial step in the examination of blood at any crime scene is to be fully aware of how bloodstains are characterized.

(Department, 1998). There can be no characterization without answering three crucial