Hidden Evidence Chapter 1 Summary

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Synthesis Paper: Hidden Evidence Chapter 9 Criminals have often used incendiary devices to carry out their goals. In chapter 9 of his book Hidden Evidence, David Owen examines the methods used by forensic investigators when they suspect such devices have been used. As with other types of crimes, investigators must carry out exhaustive searches for evidence, often relying on complex machinery to conduct chemical analyses of residue left on debris at the crime scene (132-33). Investigations of fires and explosions are further complicated by the fact that such events often occur accidentally, and forensic experts must uncover sufficient evidence to eliminate suspicions that incendiary crimes are merely unfortunate accidents (134-35). Investigators …show more content…

This process is complicated in crimes involving fire or explosions by the fact that much of the evidence may have been burnt, disintegrated, or distributed by the event. For example, debris from Pan Am flight 103 was spread over an area of nearly 1,000 square miles, necessitating a massive cleanup effort which gathered millions of pieces of debris (142). Even in cases where debris is kept within a relatively small area, it is not always easy to find the evidence needed to close a case. When examining the case of Steven Benson, suspected of murdering several close family members, police had to look carefully at the mangled wreck of the car (140-141). After a meticulous search, they uncovered several critical pieces of evidence, including plumbing components used to assemble the bomb, and electrical equipment used to create the detonator (141). Using this evidence, they were able to trace the creation of the explosive device to Benson, leading to a conviction …show more content…

In the case of Timothy McVeigh and the Oklahoma City bombing, the primary evidence used to convict him of the crime was not the residue found on the barrels, as that evidence was brought into question (147). Some people were concerned that the chemical traces found on the perpetrator's clothing might have come from sources unrelated to explosives (147). However, persecutors were still able to convict McVeigh through the axle of a rental truck, found in the debris, which a subsequent search linked to McVeigh, after a motel owner told police a man with his description driving a similar van had stayed at his establishment (147). Trains of investigation such as this one demonstrate the similarity of investigating explosives cases with investigations of more mundane crimes. In cases involving explosions, standard methods of investigation often prove just as valuable as advanced chemical analysis of explosive

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