Homicide and serious crime victims

Question 1

Responsibilities of OC body

Answer 1

1. Ensure death has been certified
2. Maintain security and continuity of body
3. Secure and guard the body
4. Note and record observations relating to the body
5. Note details of medical staff
6. Record what actions have been taken
7. Establish if body has been moved or disturbed
8. Ensure body is photographed in situ
9. Arrange transportation to mortuary
10. Complete sudden death procedures
11. Formal identification
12. Obtain historical medical records for pathologist
13. Attend post mortem
14. Attend pathologist debrief
15. Ensure cultural responsibilities addressed

Question 2

Appreciation prior to body removal

Answer 2

• Notification to and response from Coroner
• Views of the pathologist/ESR/Crown
• Any examinations before removal
• Best method and route for body removal
• Supervision of body removal
• Chain of custody of the body from scene to mortuary
• Safe custody of exhibits
• Family/cultural considerations
• Protective clothing

Question 3

Establishing if body has been moved

Answer 3

Do not attempt to restore the scene
Make enquiries to enable for it to be reconstructed and photographed

Question 4

Samples at scene

Answer 4

• Larvae and insects
• Potential fingerprint evidence
• DNA swabs
• Extraneous items
• Firearm residue samples

Question 5

Preparing for removal of body

Answer 5

1. Record position of body by sketch
2. Consider marking and recording the position of the body before moving it
3. Record all details of the position of the body (position of limbs, appearance, wounds and clothing, trails of blood, lividity, extent of rigor mortis)
4. Consider health risk of handling body
5. Cover hands, feet and head with paper bags, secure with tape
6. Ensure clothing on body is not contaminated by contact with foreign objects
7. Wrap body in a plastic sheet
8. Carefully search underneath where the body lay
9. Retain all material used to transport the body
10. Obtain approval from OC investigation to move the body
11. Arrange a contracted undertaker

Question 6

Appreciation prior to post mortem

Answer 6

• Identification of body
• Authority from Coroner to conduct PM
• Consultation with pathologist
• Safe custody of exhibits
• Identifying who should attend PM
• Appropriate resources at PM
• Family/cultural considerations
• Any specific examinations/needs

Question 7

Role of OC body at PM

Answer 7

Observe, document and deal with exhibits associated with the body in a structured, methodical manner

Question 8

Purpose of PM

Answer 8

• determining where possible the mode and time of death
• establishing how injuries and/or events at scene may have contributed to the death
• determining the nature and size of any weapon used
• determining the approx height and stature of suspect
• providing areas of interest for interviews of witnesses/suspects
• negating possible defences
• identifying victim, if not established

Question 9

Attendance at PM

Answer 9

• pathologist
• Coroner
• Doctor who treated the deceased
• Doctor representing the interests of the suspect
• Police (OC investigation, OC body, exhibits officer, photographer, SOCO or fingerprints)
• Consideration for ESR or Crown

Question 10

Equipment to take to PM

Answer 10

• MEK
• toxicology kit
• body label
• notebook and pen
• scene exhibit schedule
• copy of POL47
• deceased certification
• deceased ID
• exhibit packaging supplies
• protective clothing
• photographs from scene
• pre printed exhibit labels
• roll of brown paper
• firearms residue kit

Question 11

OC body responsibilities on arrival at mortuary

Answer 11

• ensure body is not washed
• ensure body is labelled and secured in secure fridge
• retain any key
• ensure the body remains in its present condition until the PM
• arrange formal identification

Question 12

Methods of identification

Answer 12

Fingerprints
DNA profiling
Dental records
Eye examination records
Medical examination records
Personal effects
Facial reconstruction

Question 13

What to supply the pathologist

Answer 13

• POL47
• MEK kit
• toxicology kit
• medical records of deceased
• comprehensive scene photographs

Question 14

Stripping the body

Answer 14

1. Stripped in presence of pathologist
2. Remove from secure fridge
3. Remove from body bag
4. Take possession of body bag and other materials
5. If necessary direct photographer to take additional photos
6. Remove items of clothing (cutting should be avoided)
7. Make inventory
8. Label each item
9. Seal each item in separate bag
10. Ensure exhibits do not cross-contaminate each other
11. Maintain security and continuity of body and exhibits
12. If washing to occur consider collecting trace evidence

Question 15

Photographing the body

Answer 15

• before it is stripped
• after it is stripped
• close up of any wounds, marks, unusual features

Question 16

Points the pathologist should cover

Answer 16

• description of body, including height, weight, build, eye colour and hair
• records the body’s external appearance
• uses specialist for collecting evidence samples

Question 17

After PM OC body must provide OC exhibits

Answer 17

• the PM exhibit schedule
• copy of notebooks
• FWS

Question 18

Sudden death file

Answer 18

• Statement for victim’s formal ID
• POL47
• Death certificate
• Formal ID form