Experiments were carried out to sample GSR particles (GSRs) from hair using double-side adhesive ... more Experiments were carried out to sample GSR particles (GSRs) from hair using double-side adhesive coated aluminum stubs (the tape-lift method). Although it was claimed in the literature that double-side adhesive tape is not suitable for sampling GSRs from hair, we have not encountered problems with this method. In laboratory experiments it was possible to find GSRs even 24 h after shooting if the hair had not been washed. No significant difference in collection efficiency was found between this technique and the more complicated method of swabbing the hair using a comb with a solvent-damped cloth (the swabNng-and-comb method). It was found that 200 to 300 dabbings are necessary to achieve maximum collection efficiency from hair with the double-side adhesive. As assessed subjectively, it was noted that stickiness is lost after about 100 dabbings. This method has been used in casework in Israel for about a year and a half and, in some cases, GSRs were found in samples from hair but not in samples from hands. We have also studied collection efficiency from hands of the double-side adhesive. It was found that 50 to 100 dabbings are necessary to achieve maximum collection efficiency, while stickiness appeared lost after about 20 to 30 dabbings. No substantial danger of,skin debris concealing GSRs was observed.
The efficiency of the filtration process for concentrating small populations of gunshot residue (... more The efficiency of the filtration process for concentrating small populations of gunshot residue (GSR) particles (for detection by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray analysis [SEM/EDX]) was examined with a novel method using GSR particle suspensions. Methods of concentrating and segregating GSR particles on small areas (for example, 7 mm 2) using both filtration and heavy liquid separations with centrifugation were examined from the practical point of view. It is shown that, in real cases, there may be an intrinsic difficulty in concentrating GSR particles as a result of a pile up of extraneous material or clogging of the collecting filter or both.
... In the Israel Military Industries (IMI) No. 26 grenade, a special hole (H in Fig. 2) sealed w... more ... In the Israel Military Industries (IMI) No. 26 grenade, a special hole (H in Fig. 2) sealed with a thin metal foil is located on the side of the mechanism (Fig. ... Test Hand Indoor (i)/ Sample from Samples from No. Grenade Outdoor (o) Hands/Arms" Head/Torso" Remarks 5 1 IMI No. ...
De-identified wound data from 197 homicidal gunshot postmortems were obtained between 2000 and 20... more De-identified wound data from 197 homicidal gunshot postmortems were obtained between 2000 and 2008. Forensic ballistics data were only available for cases between 2004 and 2008. Males represent 91% of gunshot victims and were struck in the thorax/abdomen with an average of 2.3 bullets. The type of firearms involved were semi-automatic pistols in the predominant caliber 9-mm Luger and assault rifles in caliber 5.56 × 45 mm and caliber 7.62 × 39 mm Soviet, using full metal jacket bullets. The majority of shootings occurred at ranges of 1 m or greater. The most common bullet path was front to back in 66% of cases. Entry wounds occurred more often on the left side of the thorax, abdomen, and back. The most common critical organs/tissues to sustain bullet trauma in descending order were as follows: heart, lungs, liver, aorta, spleen, kidneys, and vena cava. Ribs were struck by most bullets that entered the thorax.
In a "smash and grab" robbery at a jewelry store that resulted in the murder of the storeowner, a... more In a "smash and grab" robbery at a jewelry store that resulted in the murder of the storeowner, a number of items of jewelry were stolen. Among the items remaining in the jewelry store after the robbery were four single earrings and a jewelry display pin. Several months later, a suspect was apprehended. In a search of his vehicle, four single earrings and a jewelry display pin were found. Based solely on class characteristics, the link between a single pair of earrings would not provide strong evidence to connect the suspect to the crime. However, the combination of the five different pairings lead the investigators to conclude that it was highly probable that the items found at the jewelry store and those found in the suspect's car shared a common origin.
Enhancement of weak two-dimensional shoemarks is often necessary due to the poor image detail. Th... more Enhancement of weak two-dimensional shoemarks is often necessary due to the poor image detail. Thiocyanate is regarded in the literature as the most effective reagent for the chemical enhancement of footwear marks. In this study we have examined the possibility of using pH indicators, Bromophenol Blue and Bromocresol Green, as chemical reagents for the enhancement of footwear marks. The performance of these reagents on various surfaces, such as plastic sheets, brownpaper, cardboard, porcelain bathroom tiles and cotton cloth, was compared to that of the thiocyanate reagent. It was found that these reagents were much more effective than ammonium thiocyanate for the samples of shoeprints in various regions of Israel. The mechanism of chemical enhancement of footwear marks by these reagents was elucidated. A solution of 1% Bromophenol Blue and 5% of water in methanol was chosen as the Bromophenol Blue formulation in this laboratory for the chemical enhancement of shoeprints.
An improved method for firing distance estimation on clothing is described. The novel part of the... more An improved method for firing distance estimation on clothing is described. The novel part of the method includes transfer of total nitrite (nitrite ions and smokeless powder residues) from the target to an adhesive lifter. After the transfer, lead and copper deposits around the bullet entrance hole are visualized by rhodizonate and rubeanic acid, respectively. The Modified Greiss Test is carried out after alkaline hydrolysis of the smokeless powder residues on the adhesive lifter.
Inorganic oxidizing agents such as nitrate and chlorate and sulphur as a reducing agent are the m... more Inorganic oxidizing agents such as nitrate and chlorate and sulphur as a reducing agent are the most abundant ingredients in low explosion mixtures. Post low explosion debris usually contains small or trace amounts of the original ingredients mixed with large amounts of the combustion products along with other environmental interfering materials. Much effort has been invested in the detection and identification of the original explosive ingredients in the presence of the interfering materials. A fast and specific detection method of discrete particles of chlorate, nitrate/nitrite and sulphur is described. The post explosion particles are placed on a filter paper. One end of the filter paper is placed in a specially designed formulation of a colour test reagent solution. As the solution advances by diffusion, it meets the post explosion particles and reacts specifically with the particle, bringing about a colour reaction while staining the filter paper under the particle. The particles themselves, for all practical purposes, are neither stained nor dissolved. Subsequently, the particle can be further characterised either by FT-IR, SEM/EDX or GC-MS.
Di vi sion of Iden ti fi ca tion and Fo ren sic Sci ence, Is rael Po lice Head quarters, Je ru sa... more Di vi sion of Iden ti fi ca tion and Fo ren sic Sci ence, Is rael Po lice Head quarters, Je ru sa lem, Is rael AB STRACT: A sim ple method is pre sented for the es ti ma tion of the di am e ter of the en trance bul let holes in mil i tary hel mets made of lam i nated com pos ite ma te ri als. The novel part of this method in cludes the use of steel spikes of var i ous di am e ters as gauges for the bul let's di am e ter. It was found that the high est di am e ter spike, success fully in serted into the bul let hole, gives an in di ca tion of the di am e ter of the bullet. In ad di tion, col our tests for lead and cop per are also used for de ter min ing whether the hole is from bul let en trance or exit.
An improved method to estimate firing distance on human body surfaces is described. The novel par... more An improved method to estimate firing distance on human body surfaces is described. The novel part of the method includes a chemical test in addition to the traditional visual and microscopic examinations of the gunshot wounds. This chemical test consists of a transfer of the gunpowder residues from the area of a gunshot wound to an adhesive lifter; the residues are then visualized as total nitrite after alkaline hydrolysis by the Modified Griess Test (MGT). When cadavers are in an advanced stage of decomposition or when gunshot wounds are in hairy areas, the information obtained by this chemical test can be crucial for shooting distance evaluation. In other cases it may improve the accuracy of the examination. In some cases, the results obtained by this test may assist in the discrimination between entrance and exit gunshot wounds.
Experiments were conducted to assess the effect of machine washing or brushing of clothing items ... more Experiments were conducted to assess the effect of machine washing or brushing of clothing items on Gunshot Residue (GSR) patterns (gunpowder residues, lead, and copper, deposits) around bullet entrance holes. Results show that those treatments decrease considerably the amount and density of GSR. However, for close shooting distances not all of the GSR deposits are removed. Remaining patterns may be visualized by specific color reactions and used for shooting distance estimation.
Casework experience in the detection of GSR particles on samples from hands, hair and clothing is... more Casework experience in the detection of GSR particles on samples from hands, hair and clothing is reported for the period of 6 years (1989-1994). The overall "success" rate on the examined samples is about 10%. Aspects of the sampling procedures, the number of particles detected per sample and problems of possible contamination are discussed.
Ammunition having mercury fulminate-based primers are commonly manufactured by Eastern Bloc count... more Ammunition having mercury fulminate-based primers are commonly manufactured by Eastern Bloc countries and used extensively in the Middle East. Gunshot residue (GSR) particles formed by firing these types of ammunition were examined. It was observed that much lower percentage of mercury-containing GSR particles were found in samples taken from a shooter as compared to the percentage of such particles in samples from cartridge cases. This fact must therefore be taken into account when interpreting case results. A plausible explanation for the results described is proposed.
Experiments were carried out to sample GSR particles (GSRs) from hair using double-side adhesive ... more Experiments were carried out to sample GSR particles (GSRs) from hair using double-side adhesive coated aluminum stubs (the tape-lift method). Although it was claimed in the literature that double-side adhesive tape is not suitable for sampling GSRs from hair, we have not encountered problems with this method. In laboratory experiments it was possible to find GSRs even 24 h after shooting if the hair had not been washed. No significant difference in collection efficiency was found between this technique and the more complicated method of swabbing the hair using a comb with a solvent-damped cloth (the swabNng-and-comb method). It was found that 200 to 300 dabbings are necessary to achieve maximum collection efficiency from hair with the double-side adhesive. As assessed subjectively, it was noted that stickiness is lost after about 100 dabbings. This method has been used in casework in Israel for about a year and a half and, in some cases, GSRs were found in samples from hair but not in samples from hands. We have also studied collection efficiency from hands of the double-side adhesive. It was found that 50 to 100 dabbings are necessary to achieve maximum collection efficiency, while stickiness appeared lost after about 20 to 30 dabbings. No substantial danger of,skin debris concealing GSRs was observed.
The efficiency of the filtration process for concentrating small populations of gunshot residue (... more The efficiency of the filtration process for concentrating small populations of gunshot residue (GSR) particles (for detection by scanning electron microscopy/energy dispersive X-ray analysis [SEM/EDX]) was examined with a novel method using GSR particle suspensions. Methods of concentrating and segregating GSR particles on small areas (for example, 7 mm 2) using both filtration and heavy liquid separations with centrifugation were examined from the practical point of view. It is shown that, in real cases, there may be an intrinsic difficulty in concentrating GSR particles as a result of a pile up of extraneous material or clogging of the collecting filter or both.
... In the Israel Military Industries (IMI) No. 26 grenade, a special hole (H in Fig. 2) sealed w... more ... In the Israel Military Industries (IMI) No. 26 grenade, a special hole (H in Fig. 2) sealed with a thin metal foil is located on the side of the mechanism (Fig. ... Test Hand Indoor (i)/ Sample from Samples from No. Grenade Outdoor (o) Hands/Arms" Head/Torso" Remarks 5 1 IMI No. ...
De-identified wound data from 197 homicidal gunshot postmortems were obtained between 2000 and 20... more De-identified wound data from 197 homicidal gunshot postmortems were obtained between 2000 and 2008. Forensic ballistics data were only available for cases between 2004 and 2008. Males represent 91% of gunshot victims and were struck in the thorax/abdomen with an average of 2.3 bullets. The type of firearms involved were semi-automatic pistols in the predominant caliber 9-mm Luger and assault rifles in caliber 5.56 × 45 mm and caliber 7.62 × 39 mm Soviet, using full metal jacket bullets. The majority of shootings occurred at ranges of 1 m or greater. The most common bullet path was front to back in 66% of cases. Entry wounds occurred more often on the left side of the thorax, abdomen, and back. The most common critical organs/tissues to sustain bullet trauma in descending order were as follows: heart, lungs, liver, aorta, spleen, kidneys, and vena cava. Ribs were struck by most bullets that entered the thorax.
In a "smash and grab" robbery at a jewelry store that resulted in the murder of the storeowner, a... more In a "smash and grab" robbery at a jewelry store that resulted in the murder of the storeowner, a number of items of jewelry were stolen. Among the items remaining in the jewelry store after the robbery were four single earrings and a jewelry display pin. Several months later, a suspect was apprehended. In a search of his vehicle, four single earrings and a jewelry display pin were found. Based solely on class characteristics, the link between a single pair of earrings would not provide strong evidence to connect the suspect to the crime. However, the combination of the five different pairings lead the investigators to conclude that it was highly probable that the items found at the jewelry store and those found in the suspect's car shared a common origin.
Enhancement of weak two-dimensional shoemarks is often necessary due to the poor image detail. Th... more Enhancement of weak two-dimensional shoemarks is often necessary due to the poor image detail. Thiocyanate is regarded in the literature as the most effective reagent for the chemical enhancement of footwear marks. In this study we have examined the possibility of using pH indicators, Bromophenol Blue and Bromocresol Green, as chemical reagents for the enhancement of footwear marks. The performance of these reagents on various surfaces, such as plastic sheets, brownpaper, cardboard, porcelain bathroom tiles and cotton cloth, was compared to that of the thiocyanate reagent. It was found that these reagents were much more effective than ammonium thiocyanate for the samples of shoeprints in various regions of Israel. The mechanism of chemical enhancement of footwear marks by these reagents was elucidated. A solution of 1% Bromophenol Blue and 5% of water in methanol was chosen as the Bromophenol Blue formulation in this laboratory for the chemical enhancement of shoeprints.
An improved method for firing distance estimation on clothing is described. The novel part of the... more An improved method for firing distance estimation on clothing is described. The novel part of the method includes transfer of total nitrite (nitrite ions and smokeless powder residues) from the target to an adhesive lifter. After the transfer, lead and copper deposits around the bullet entrance hole are visualized by rhodizonate and rubeanic acid, respectively. The Modified Greiss Test is carried out after alkaline hydrolysis of the smokeless powder residues on the adhesive lifter.
Inorganic oxidizing agents such as nitrate and chlorate and sulphur as a reducing agent are the m... more Inorganic oxidizing agents such as nitrate and chlorate and sulphur as a reducing agent are the most abundant ingredients in low explosion mixtures. Post low explosion debris usually contains small or trace amounts of the original ingredients mixed with large amounts of the combustion products along with other environmental interfering materials. Much effort has been invested in the detection and identification of the original explosive ingredients in the presence of the interfering materials. A fast and specific detection method of discrete particles of chlorate, nitrate/nitrite and sulphur is described. The post explosion particles are placed on a filter paper. One end of the filter paper is placed in a specially designed formulation of a colour test reagent solution. As the solution advances by diffusion, it meets the post explosion particles and reacts specifically with the particle, bringing about a colour reaction while staining the filter paper under the particle. The particles themselves, for all practical purposes, are neither stained nor dissolved. Subsequently, the particle can be further characterised either by FT-IR, SEM/EDX or GC-MS.
Di vi sion of Iden ti fi ca tion and Fo ren sic Sci ence, Is rael Po lice Head quarters, Je ru sa... more Di vi sion of Iden ti fi ca tion and Fo ren sic Sci ence, Is rael Po lice Head quarters, Je ru sa lem, Is rael AB STRACT: A sim ple method is pre sented for the es ti ma tion of the di am e ter of the en trance bul let holes in mil i tary hel mets made of lam i nated com pos ite ma te ri als. The novel part of this method in cludes the use of steel spikes of var i ous di am e ters as gauges for the bul let's di am e ter. It was found that the high est di am e ter spike, success fully in serted into the bul let hole, gives an in di ca tion of the di am e ter of the bullet. In ad di tion, col our tests for lead and cop per are also used for de ter min ing whether the hole is from bul let en trance or exit.
An improved method to estimate firing distance on human body surfaces is described. The novel par... more An improved method to estimate firing distance on human body surfaces is described. The novel part of the method includes a chemical test in addition to the traditional visual and microscopic examinations of the gunshot wounds. This chemical test consists of a transfer of the gunpowder residues from the area of a gunshot wound to an adhesive lifter; the residues are then visualized as total nitrite after alkaline hydrolysis by the Modified Griess Test (MGT). When cadavers are in an advanced stage of decomposition or when gunshot wounds are in hairy areas, the information obtained by this chemical test can be crucial for shooting distance evaluation. In other cases it may improve the accuracy of the examination. In some cases, the results obtained by this test may assist in the discrimination between entrance and exit gunshot wounds.
Experiments were conducted to assess the effect of machine washing or brushing of clothing items ... more Experiments were conducted to assess the effect of machine washing or brushing of clothing items on Gunshot Residue (GSR) patterns (gunpowder residues, lead, and copper, deposits) around bullet entrance holes. Results show that those treatments decrease considerably the amount and density of GSR. However, for close shooting distances not all of the GSR deposits are removed. Remaining patterns may be visualized by specific color reactions and used for shooting distance estimation.
Casework experience in the detection of GSR particles on samples from hands, hair and clothing is... more Casework experience in the detection of GSR particles on samples from hands, hair and clothing is reported for the period of 6 years (1989-1994). The overall "success" rate on the examined samples is about 10%. Aspects of the sampling procedures, the number of particles detected per sample and problems of possible contamination are discussed.
Ammunition having mercury fulminate-based primers are commonly manufactured by Eastern Bloc count... more Ammunition having mercury fulminate-based primers are commonly manufactured by Eastern Bloc countries and used extensively in the Middle East. Gunshot residue (GSR) particles formed by firing these types of ammunition were examined. It was observed that much lower percentage of mercury-containing GSR particles were found in samples taken from a shooter as compared to the percentage of such particles in samples from cartridge cases. This fact must therefore be taken into account when interpreting case results. A plausible explanation for the results described is proposed.
Uploads
Papers by nadav levin