1. Evidence

2. Evidence Links a person suspected of committing a criminal offense
What is the role of evidence in a court of law?
Evidence does one of two things:
Links a person suspected of committing a criminal offense
to a crime scene.
“Sir, why is the victim’s blood on your clothes?” Obviously
this person has some explaining to do.
Corroborate (confirm) one’s testimony and exonerating
(free from blame) a suspect of committing a criminal offense.

3. Evidence presented to a jury.
In a court of law there are two types of evidence which can be
presented to a jury.
Testimonial Evidence
Physical Evidence

4. Evidence is eyewitness accounts of events. It can
Testimonial Evidence (also called direct evidence)
is eyewitness accounts of events. It can
come in a written or spoken form.
Cons
Pros
Juries are impressed when a story
is told to them by another human
being.
One’s memory can be faulty.
The time between an eyewitness
seeing an event and a trial may be
several months or even years.
“I saw the defendant entering
the crime scene prior to the murder”

5. Evidence is something which has size, shape, and
Physical Evidence (also called real evidence)
is something which has size, shape, and
dimension (an object).
As the definition would imply it can be collected and analyzed.
It is impossible to list all types of physical evidence which could
be encountered at a crime scene, however here are some which
we will look at throughout this course:

6. Evidence
Blood, Semen, and Saliva. All suspected blood, semen, and saliva
present in a form to suggest a relation to the offense or persons involved
in a crime.
Documents. Any handwriting submitted so that source or authenticity
can be determined.
Fibers. Any fiber whose transfer may be helpful in establishing a
relationship between objects and/or persons.
Hair. Any human or animal hair present which may link a person with
a crime.
Impressions. Tire markings, shoe prints, handprints, etc.

7. Evidence
Fingerprints. All prints have a physical nature.
Firearms and Ammunition. Any firearm, as well as discharged or
intact ammunition, suspected of being used in a criminal offense.
Tool Marks. Any object suspected of containing the impression
of another object that served as a tool in a crime.
Explosives. Any device containing an explosive charge, as well as
objects that are removed from a crime scene containing residue of
the explosive..

8. Evidence Types of Physical Evidence
Individual evidence: Evidence which points to a unique individual
with extremely high precision and probability
Examples:
Fingerprints
Bullet Striations
Shoe Impressions
DNA
Maggots
AND….
MANY…
MANY…
MORE

9. Evidence Types of Physical Evidence
Class evidence: Evidence that can be associated only
with a group and never with a single source.
Examples:
Dexter’s hair color.
Dexter’s eye color.
Dexter’s skin color.
Dexter’s cotton shirt.
Someone else’s blood on Dexter?

10. Evidence Class or Individual Evidence? Denim Jeans? Class
Broken glass which can be pieced together?
Individual
.45 Caliber Ammunition (unspent)?
Class
.45 Caliber shell casing (spent)?
Individual

11. Evidence Testimonial Physical Individual Class
Terms used to describe the significance of evidence
Indirect Evidence: Does not prove a fact
Circumstantial Evidence: Like class evidence, it implies a fact without proof.
Ex: Blonde, size 11, white car.
The more circumstantial evidence, the stronger the argument