Evaluation of the investigation process is commendable to assess the procedures, duties and responsibilities that were discharged during arrival at the crime scene and the process of investigation of the crime. This paper does exactly this in a bid to evaluating the criminal investigation process of the case study.
Arrival at the scene
Upon safe arrival at the scene, the first officer at the scene is obliged to ascertain safety of the scene by assessing the area for any hazardous aspects such as fire, chemicals or even weapons that need to be neutralized. This is done to ensure safety of the first officer at the scene and others (Howell, 1999). From the prevailing case, it is observed that SA Pearson and SA Moss, being the first in the scene, did not make the effort to affirm the safety of the scene before they could go into interviewing witnesses and draft the search warrant. This was a crucial step required to ascertain their safety and that of other officers responding to the call.
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After ascertaining the safety at the scene, the officers should call for medical assistance, if necessary, for any injured victim or suspect at the scene as their first priority (Howell, 1999). From the facts, it is observed that as Smith shot Jenkins, it would have been prudent for SA Pearson and SA Moss to call for medical assistance. This would be pursuant to an attempt to save Jenkins’ life and that of Marshall, despite the fact that the shots fired at him did not cause him harm. Invoking medical attention is then followed by arresting any suspects and securing the scene, which from the facts, was well done (Howell, 1999). This is important as it guarantees control over the crime scene, enables identity of persons at the scene and limits access to the scene to only authorized personnel (Black, 2007).
Securing and assessing of the scene is followed bringing to the attention of the communication units the need to be furnished with assistance depending on the resources required to carry out an efficient investigation (Black, 2007). Assistance is essential in advancing the investigation process as it involves participation specially trained personnel in handling different aspects of the scene. The officers at the scene should call for supplementary patrol units, rescue personnel, evidence technician or public information officer depending on the circumstances (Black, 2007). From the presented facts, it is commendable that SA Moss enlisted help from the Sheriff’s Office detectives to extend a helping hand with the identified leads that would hasten the investigation process. In addition to the special detectives following up on the leads assigned to them, additional assistance would still be required in terms of handling such inevitable situations such as controlling the crowd at the scene, identifying and transporting witnesses maintaining the perimeter of the crime scene (Newton, Johnson, Mulcahy, NORC, & USA, 2006).
Crime Scene Investigation
When carrying out substantive investigation of the crime scene, the first step is to assess the scene to determine the prevailing nature of circumstances in the scene and to determine the relevant skills that would be necessary to carry out the investigation (Black, 2007). Assessing the scene therefore involves recording time, conditions and information about the first officer at the scene before interviewing the first officer at the scene and arranging for witness interviews. Meanwhile examining the victim’s condition, enumerating the extent to which the scene stretches and securing all evidence required for the investigation are all equally necessary (Howell, 1999). From the prevailing facts, it is plausible how SA Moss and SA Pearson extended the crime scene into the street, conducted a good search at the scene securing all evidence by placing evidence markers on relevant items while drawing sketches with them, arranging for witness interviews with the assisting detectives and taking photographs at the scene. It is also commendable how SA Moss undertakes to obtain a search warrant before beginning to process the scene. However, it is questionable whether they assessed the situation of the shot victim and unclear the procedures they undertook to take note of the condition of the body and verifying death. It would be essential in establishing the nature of the investigation and the charges to be pressed against the arrested suspects.
While conducting investigations, documentation of the crime scene is also a key procedural aspect that needs to be taken to account due to its utility in the court process (Miller & Braswell, 2010). The documentation of the scene involves executing a permanent record of the scene while recording all items bearing evidentiary value to the case. This includes taking photographs or videotape of each item of evidence in the scene, generating a crime scene sketch, taking precise measurements of various locations at the crime scene and maintaining order at the scene to the extent that it is not altered in any way (Schiro, 2003). While recording the crime scene, it is plausible how SA Pearson takes notes while capturing images at the crime scene, taking an overall shooting of the scene and close-range photographs of items at the scene. The documentation of the scene is also well done when SA Pearson draws sketches of the rooms in the scene and every item of evidence in addition to measuring everything within the immediate barrier, though she omits the second barrier including the road. Such sketches as the overhead sketch and the elevation sketch would as well be important for the investigation and the court process.
The essence of documentation of the scene is to depict an accurate imagery of the scene which submitting documentary evidence before the court, and such immovable evidence that the prosecutor cannot bring to the court. It also enhances accuracy in description of the crime scene since photographs are attributed to distorting the relationship between items and their relation to the crime scene (Moreau, 1995).
Cold Case Investigation and Prosecution
The ordinary presumption that unsolved cases that have been pending over years are impossible to investigate and prosecute is wrong. When a case becomes cold and unprosecuted for over 30 years, the first step into reactivation of the case would be by identifying the suspect depending on whether they have been charged or tried before or has remained to be labeled a person of interest (Walton, 2006). Further, while looking into a cold case homicide, it would be important to address questions such as why the victim was killed while taking to account possible persons who could have had the opportunity and the motive to kill (Walton, 2006). In the prevailing circumstances, tracing the drug connection that the victims and the suspects had in common is the key to reactivation to find persons of interest. After identification of the suspect(s), as a prosecutor, it would be prudent to open the cold case especially upon discovery of new evidence. This implies that the prosecutor would be actively involved in the investigation stage of reviving the cold case (Walton, 2006).
When prosecuting a cold case homicide, the prosecutor would introduce emerging primary or secondary evidence before the jury that links the suspect directly or indirectly to the crime scene and the commission of the murder (Xiong, 2017). It would also demonstrate the manner in which the newly emerging evidence could not be obtained despite exercising due diligence. This would be followed by elimination of any suspects who were previously linked to the murder from the list of suspects while accurately placing the identified suspect at the scene of crime in a way that compliments the newly discovered evidence that is sufficient to prosecute them (Walton, 2006). Many times, it would be effective to adduce forensic evidence, which would be more appealing to the jury due to the accuracy and efficacy that attaches to the commission of the crime (Xiong, 2017). For instance, in this case, adducing Smith’s matching fingerprints to the murder weapon would be sufficient to persuade the jury of his culpability.
Conclusively then, the two officers went through most of their required crime scene assessment duties except for the verification of the crime scene for the eradication of dangers to themselves and others. This is perhaps because the crime had already unfolded and there was no danger of gunfire exchange at their arrival. Nevertheless, other aspects of investigation were properly taken into account.
References
Black, J. P. (2007). Practical Homicide Investigation: Tactics, Procedures, and Forensic Techniques. JOURNAL OF FORENSIC IDENTIFICATION, 57(1) , 97.
Howell, J. (1999). Homicide Investigation Standard Operating Procedure. Retrieved from Police Forum: http://www.policeforum.org/assets/docs/Free_Online_Documents/Homicide/homicide%20investigation%20standard%20operating%20procedures%201999.pdf
Miller, L. S., & Braswell, M. C. (2010). Crime scene investigation. Elsevier Science.
Moreau, D. M. (1995). Fundamental Principles and Theory of Crime Scene Photography. Forensic Science Training Unit, FBI Laboratory.
Newton, P. J., Johnson, C. M., Mulcahy, T. M., NORC, & USA. (2006). Investigation and Prosecution of Homicide Cases in the US: The Process for Federal Involvement. Chicago, IL: NORC at the University of Chicago.
Schiro, G. (2003). Examination and documentation of the crime scene . Retrieved from Crime Scene Investigator : http://www. crime-scene-investigator.net/evidenc2 htm
Walton, R. H. (2006). Cold case homicides: Practical investigative techniques. CRC Press.
Xiong, C. (2017, March 16). Three decades later, murder charges filed in 81-year-old St. Paul woman's slaying . Retrieved from The Star Tribune: http://www.startribune.com/charges-expected-today-in-30-year-old-st-paul-cold-case/416341114/
