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Crash

Henri Pamphile
Professor Martinez
CRJ 4
18 November 2005
Homicide Investigation
Our society does a pretty good job of tracking dead people and determining criminal causes of death. "There's only about 25,000 homicides a year, and you can probably have some confidence in that number as an accurate figure representing the real number of homicides every year. Homicide is a crime with a pretty high clearance rate; at least 65% of all homicides are solved by arrest of the perpetrator, and some years, the percentage is closer to 85%. Guns, alcohol, drugs, love, felony-murder, blunt force trauma, knife fights, and strangulation are all associated with homicide" (Gerberth 257). The Law of homicide needs to be clearly understood. 1st degree (cold-blooded murder) requires proof of premeditation, deliberation, and malice, planning, coolness, scheming, 2nd degree (hot-blooded murder) requires proof of malice aforethought and intent to do bodily harm. For all practical purposes, malice aforethought is the same as premeditation. Voluntary manslaughter (heat of passion) requires proof of provocation and no time to cool off ,self-defense is a common defense. Involuntary manslaughter (accidents) require at least a reckless neglect of the consequences (insanity is a common defense). You should treat all cases of death that you come across as a homicide at first, even suicides. Remember that motive, circumstance, and purpose are key elements in determining exactly what type of homicide you're investigating. Be prepared for self-defense and insanity claims. Look at the crime scene for evidence of passion provocation, and signs of struggle. Analyze the wound patterns, and try to reconstruct what happened from the fingerprints, bloodstains, and ballistics.
"If you are the first at the scene of crime, then exercise procedures called for in the acronym ADAPT (Assess scene, Detain witnesses, Arrest perpetrator, Protect scene, and Take notes). If the victim is still dying, then...