Forensic Science: Peering Down a Blind Alley
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THE MICROSCOPE • Vol. 63:2, pp 77–88 (2015) C R I T I C A L FOCUS Brian J. Ford Forensic Science: Peering Down a Blind Alley uess: Which character wasn’t crucial — being Gin fiction is the most The criminal justice system today is nominated was enough for widely portrayed on the the producers. Everywhere screen? Names flood the in crisis, marred by dishonesty and you look, you see films that mind, from Abraham Lin- an overriding desire for pinning blame were “nominated” for an coln to Zeus, but it is actu- instead of uncovering the facts. award that they didn’t win. ally Sherlock Holmes. Not a You just enjoy the occasion celebrity or a mighty ruler, and the French hospitality not even a real person; it is that while savoring the fabulous food. doyen of forensic investigators who Danson’s “CSI” series was a is the most frequently portrayed huge winner, claiming the presti- character across the world of film gious International Television and television. There is a similar Audience Award for a Drama TV surprise when we look at the kind Series — for the fifth time. Danson of television most people watch. Is plays the role of D.B. Russell, a it humor? Reality shows? It is actu- scientist with an interest in ally forensic science. The annual sur- forensic botany (a substantial shift vey by the Eurodata TV Worldwide from playing Sam Malone in organization in 2012 said that “CSI: the sitcom “Cheers”). Danson’s Crime Scene Investigation” was the forensic series is bigger even than most-watched show in the world. “Doctor Who.” In November 2013, At the 52nd Monte Carlo Television the 50th anniversary edition of Festival in June 2012, Ted Danson that British science fiction series came to collect the award. He would set a world record with a simul- have had a terrific time: One of my cast to 98 countries. However, an television documentaries was once Ted Danson plays forensic botanist D.B. edition of “CSI” was broadcast to nominated for a minor award, and Russell on “CSI: Crime Scene Investiga- 171 countries in March 2015 to even that provided an unforgettable tion,” which has become the most-watched establish World CSI Day. Reflect day. No, of course our trivial pro- TV show in the world. “CSI” perpetrates the on that for a moment. This is a duction didn’t win anything, but I idea that law enforcement agents objectively program about forensic science soon discovered that winning analyze evidence in their quest for the truth. and the star is a botanist. Could 77 Left: Microtrace LLC, a renowned forensic laboratory in Elgin, IL, was presented with these comparable fiber samples. At first sight, although their diameters were different, the fibers seemed to be exactly the same. Researcher Chris Palenik found disparities that casual inspection would easily overlook. Right: Colorometric analysis proved to Palenik that the fibers came from unrelated sources. Although their colors seem to be identical to the naked eye, the spectra were clearly distinct. Elemental analysis subsequently confirmed that the fibers had been colored with completely different dyes. anybody imagine a producer biting at bait like that? on an out-of-date monitor littered with Post-it notes. It is a peculiar combination, yet it has given us the That’s if they’re lucky. most popular television drama program in history Living with microscopes gives us an edge on ev- and a host of spin-off series that hang on its coattails. eryone else, because we are looking so closely at na- The real world is very different. Forensic science ture. What we uncover is reality. Sometimes we give may be high-flying on television, but down here in the benefit of our insights to the investigators of a the laboratory it is in crisis. Today’s forensic services crime — and sometimes they don’t want it. There are are fighting for funds, tormented by fraud, tainted by occasions, plenty of them, when the prosecution isn’t official reports of incompetence and dishonesty, while searching for objective reality but prefers something its great experts are retiring only to be replaced by to prove them right. In the modern world, forensic goal-oriented technocrats. The fictitious D.B. Russell science has retreated from its aim of helping to un- luxuriates in his polished wooden desk in a huge of- cover the truth and has often been used as a way of fice as well-dressed specialist investigators — each baffling a jury so that the police can lock away their running a vast enterprise of their own — flit in and favorite suspect and call the case closed. out of the door with expensive scans and costly analy- ses. If a dirty dropout is attacked in an alley, heads of BAG OF DOUBTS department converge on Mr. Russell’s office like an executive team, each delving into details and devoted Marijuana was the core of a case on which I was to finding out the truth, so that the puzzle is diligently due to provide evidence. The defendant was the owner solved by the end of the week. of a boxing club. A bag, originally used for coal and In the world of American law enforcement, the containing suspicious substances, had been found at aim to find out the truth has been subsumed by an the foot of his garden wall. It seemed, on the face of it, overriding desire for the police to allocate the respon- a curious place to drop a bag of incriminating evi- sibility to somebody. Anybody. The theme is pinning dence. Stashing the bag under the floorboards or be- blame, not uncovering facts; and the forensic experts hind the wardrobe might have made more sense. The will be at a junior level — indeed, unless you work thrust of the prosecution was the finding of the bag for the FBI, they will be asked for an opinion only if on the premises and the nature of its contents. This is they’re cheap enough. The investigations in “CSI: what I had been asked to investigate. When you are Crime Scene Investigation” can occupy a huge photo- accustomed to looking at living plant tissue or me- viewing desk for a week or more; in the real world, ticulous permanent preparations, the dried and they would be compressed JPEGs fighting for space mangled leaves in a handful of drug-dealer’s stash 78 THE MICROSCOPE 63 (2015) CRITICAL FOCUS | BRIAN J. FORD Left: A boxing coach was accused of hiding marijuana in this old plastic coal-bag. The prosecution told the court that fingerprints were absent because this kind of bag could not retain prints; however, hydrophobic polymer plastic can be a good medium for fingerprints. Right: During a court adjournment, a plastic bag similar to the coal bag was dabbed and dusted for fingerprints. This image of the tested bag show that prints are prominently visible. Although the prosecution later changed their stance, it was obvious that their evidence had been flawed. demands a lot of investigation. Fortunately, mature phobic polymers can certainly retain fingerprints. Cannabis sativa bears bracts with hairs and has char- There was a huddle in the court, and the lunchtime acteristic glandular structures on the underside. These adjournment was called. can be identified in dried vegetation and give the key By chance, I had one of the same bags at home; I to identity. I had my micrographs ready. fingered it, powdered it and photographed the results. Suddenly the direction of the case altered. The ac- I returned to court with freshly printed images, and cused boxing club owner said he had never seen the the defense lawyers were delighted. The police wit- bag in his life and had never known any reason for any ness was now in a state of confusion; he could not such object to be left at the bottom of his garden wall. remember precisely what tests had been undertaken, As he said, the bag was lying precisely where it would but he did recall the lack of fingerprints. Perhaps he be if someone had dropped it over the wall from out- was forgetful of the scientific details, he conceded. In side. He claimed that the police had thrown the bag fact, it seemed likely that the bag had been dropped into his property immediately before raiding the pre- into the defendant’s garden and there was nothing to mises through the front door. And he added that there link him with it. Everyone in the courtroom felt the was nothing to connect him with the bag. The judge evidence had been planted, and it had taken a quick became interested. “I do not understand,” said the experiment over lunch to substantiate the point. The judge. “Were there fingerprints on the bag?” The de- boxing club owner walked free. fendant shook his head and angrily said that of course there weren’t — it wasn’t his bag. The prosecuting law- FLAWED HAIR yer intervened to reply: “There were no fingerprints found,” he agreed. There was a hurried consultation. There are cases when forensic evidence can throw “May I explain a little further? It is not merely that no up something, and the role of the specialist is then to signs of fingerprints were observed; I am advised that raise the significance to ridiculous limits in the hope this kind of bag will not retain fingerprints.” of obtaining a conviction. One such case centered on The police witness was recalled. He explained that suspected murderer Donald Eugene Gates.