At crime scenes, bloodstain pattern analysis is used as a forensic measure to determine factors like weapons, number of blows, positions, etc. Bloodstain pattern analysis is the observation of bloodstain and their patterns. Bloodstain pattern analysis has proven to be a scientific method that can acquit or convict people of crimes.
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However, bloodstain pattern analysis limits how scientific it can be when analyst enters their perception of crime scenes. In the case of Kathleen Peterson, when attempting to prosecute Michael Peterson, Kathleen’s husband, the test replicated the blood spatter with the idea that Michael would be performing the actions. However, the defense’s bloodstain pattern expert revealed that Micheal couldn’t have killed Kathleen because none of the stains matched that of a cast-off. Nor was Michael covered in blood. In this case, bloodstain pattern analysis resulted in two different verdicts, even though both experts analyzed the same scene. Since bloodstain pattern analysis is an observation science, it can be subjective. Having bias prevents the analyst from having clear eyes and interpreting things in ways to secure their conclusion.
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Yet, this is not always the case for bloodstain pattern analysis. In the famous case of Marilyn Sheppard, bloodstain pattern analysis was performed by two different experts with no bias in the case. When the murder originally occurred in 1954, the family brought in expert Paul L. Kirk, who claimed that he would report whatever he discovered at the scene whether it convicted Sam Sheppard, Marilyn’s Husband, or not. Kirk’s finding found that Sheppard was innocent because the assailant should’ve been injured due to the blood stains on the stairs. However, Sheppard was still convicted, through a false confession. Then in 1999, Bart Epstein recreated the entire layout of the house to see if Kirk’s conclusions were accurate or rather interpreted to show Sheppard’s innocence. Epstein would find the same result, which would prove Sheppard’s innocence and exonerate him.
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Bloodstain pattern analysis is scientific because it has the ability to observe something and prove facts through simulations or experiments. We saw this through both the Marilyn Sheppard case and the Kathleen Peterson case. However the legitimacy of bloodstain pattern analysis can be tested when there seems to be bias behind the scenes. (369)<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
At crime scenes, bloodstain pattern analysis is used as a forensic measure to determine factors like weapons, number of blows, positions, etc. Bloodstain pattern analysis is the observation of bloodstain and their patterns. Bloodstain pattern analysis has proven to be … Continue reading