Module 4 – Forensic Examination and Firearms Evidence
FORENSIC EXAMINATION AND FIREARMS EVIDENCE
THE FORENSIC EXAMINATION
The firearm examiner must be familiar with all the necessary information and knowledge about the nature of firearms and their components in order that they may understand and appreciate every piece of information that is very essential in establishing proof about the case or problem.
If we were asked to give significance about what things must be given importance, the following must be taken into consideration by a forensic examiner in order to arrive at more credible conclusions pertaining to firearms examinations:
FIREARMS BARREL PRODUCTION
Barrels used for firearms manufacturing are made up of a solid piece of metal. Metal for this purpose is carefully selected for its chemical and metallurgical structure in order to assure high-quality products after several machine operations and heat treatment. In the process of barrel production by means of “drilling”, a rough hole of uniform diameter is produced on the selected metal thus producing several scars and scratches on its interior surface that becomes permanent.
The same is produced when a firearm is being rifled (producing rifling). Whatever polishing and finishing efforts of the manufacturer to make its surface clear, said scratches and scars remain permanent and cannot be completely removed. Such scars and imperfections become individual characteristics of that firearm.
BREECHFACE PRODUCTION
Another face of firearms needed and important in firearm identification is the production and finish of the breechface. This is the very portion of the gun that strikes the cartridge case and the primer is forced backward when a cartridge is fired in the chamber. During the process, breechface marks will be imprinted at the primer and base of the cartridge case that will serve as an important identification for a particular firearm.
Both barrel and firearms slides produce several marks on bullets and spent shells that can be subjected to forensic analysis. This is what FIREARM IDENTIFICATION is doing one of the branches of toolmark identification. This is because the firearm, made of a material harder than the ammunition components, acts as a tool that leaves impressed or striated marks on the various shell casings and other ammunition components with which it comes into contact.
And like fingerprints, no two firearms, even those of the same make and model, will produce the same marks on fired bullets and cartridge cases. Furthermore, the manufacturing processes and the use of the firearm leave surface characteristics that cannot be exactly reproduced in any other firearm. This means that the toolmarks are unique to each firearm.
Another aspect that people often don’t know, is that firearms do not normally change much over time. This allows for firearms recovered months or even years after a shooting to be identified by forensic experts as having fired a specific bullet or cartridge case.
WHAT ARE MARKS ON FIRED BULLET
RIFLING MARKS – they are found on the cylindrical portion of the fired bullets or slugs and are caused by the riflings inside the barrel. These marks are specifically classified as “Land marks” and “Groove marks”;(1)
SKID MARKS – are-generally found on bullets on slugs fired from revolvers, These marks are more or less found on the anterior portion of the fired bullets or slugs, and are caused by the forward movement of the build before it rotates as required by riflings;
STRIPPING MARKS – are generally found on bullets or slugs through loose fit” barrels wherein the riflings are badly worn out.
Other notable characteristics that may be noticed in a form of microscopic marks that has value or “no value at all” as far as firearms examination are concerned are the following:
SHAVING (Shearing) is the cutting of metal from the surface of a bullet due to cylinder misalignment in a revolver. A large amount of shaving may leave a void in the bearing surface of a bullet, which may not receive rifling impressions.
A SLIPPAGE is another term used for SKID MARKS. This is formed on the bearing surface of bullets as they enter the rifling of the barrel before the bullet engages the rifling.
FLARED BASES of bullets fired from short-barreled handguns or bullets with deep base cavities are subject to expansion after leaving the barrel of a firearm. Measuring a flared base would be misleading; the better-protected base normally provides the best dimensional data.
BLOWBY is the escaping of gases past a fired bullet while the bullet is still in the barrel. These high-pressure gases are at a very high temperature and can melt or etch the bearing surface of plain lead bullets. As a result, the width of rifling impressions can be seriously degraded and appear very blurry and indistinct.
MARKS FOUND ON THE FIRED SHELL
There are two types of marks that can be found in any fired shell on any type of firearm. The IMPRESSED ACTION MARKS and the STRIATED ACTION MARKS.
IMPRESSED ACTION MARKS
With a few exceptions, these are produced when a cartridge case is fired in a firearm. The two most common impressed action marks are firing pin impressions and breech marks. Impressed toolmarks (also called compression or indentation marks) are produced when a tool is placed against another object and sufficient force is applied to the tool to leave an impression. These impressions are contour variations left on the surface of the object by this interaction.
Notably, added to the two are ejector marks which are also striated action marks.
The Firing Pin Impressions. These are indentations created when the firing pin of a firearm strikes the primer of a centerfire cartridge case or the rim of a rimfire cartridge case. If the nose of the firing pin has manufacturing imperfections or damage, these potentially unique characteristics can be impressed into the metal of the primer or the rim of the cartridge case. (Below is an example of firing pin marks on rimfire shells on the left and centerfire shell on the right)
The Breech Marks. By far the most common impressed action marks on cartridge cases are breech marks. Most fired cartridge cases are identified as having been fired by a specific firearm through the identification of breech marks.
Very high pressures are generated within a firearm when a cartridge is discharged. These pressures force the bullet from the cartridge case and down the barrel at very high velocities. When a firearm is discharged, the shooter will feel the firearm jump rearward. This rearward movement of the firearm is called recoil. Recoil is for the most part caused by the cartridge case moving rearward as an opposite reaction to the pressures generated to force the bullet down the barrel.
When the head or base of the cartridge case moves rearward, it strikes what is called the breech face of the firearm.
The Ejector Marks. Ejector marks are sometimes created when cartridges or cartridge cases are ejected from the action of a firearm. Ejector marks can be either striated or impressed, but the impressed ejector marks not only can be used to identify a cartridge case as having passed through a firearm’s action they can also be an indication that the cartridge case was fired in the firearm. Ejector marks like those seen below could only be reproduced when the cartridge cases were fired in the firearm and not by simply hand chambering and ejecting a live cartridge.
STRIATED ACTION MARKS
Striated action marks are common to cartridge cases that have passed through the action of an auto-loading or repeating firearm. Striated action marks can be produced on cartridge cases by contact with a number of different areas within the firearm. Some of the more common striated action marks include chamber marks; shear marks, firing pin drag marks, extractor marks, and ejector marks.
The Chamber Marks. Roughness in the chamber of a firearm can scratch the outer walls of a cartridge case when loaded and removed from the chamber. Most chamber marks occur after the cartridge is fired. Cartridge cases expand when fired pressing out against the walls of the chamber. When they are pulled out of the chamber, the sides of the cartridge case can be scratched.
Chamber marks appearing on a fired shell can be any of the following:
The Shear Marks. When a cartridge case is forced backward from recoil the primer embeds itself in the firing pin hole. As the slide of the pistol starts to recoil, the barrel will drop slightly as the action opens. The dropping barrel forces the cartridge case to move down slightly and when this happens the lower edge of the embedded primer is sheared downward and out of the firing pin hole. An illustration below shows the production of shear marks on the head of the cartridge case just along the side of the firing pin marks. Shears surround the opening of the firing pin hole.
The Extractor Marks. Another action mark, usually found in striated forms is those created by the extractor of most auto-loading or repeating firearms. The extractor is a small part sometimes resembling a hook that is used to remove a cartridge or cartridge case from the chamber of a firearm. The image below shows the extractor of a 9mm GLOCK pistol hooked into the extractor groove of a cartridge. As the slide of the pistol moves to the rear, the extractor pulls the cartridge case along with it until it is ejected from the pistol.
The Magazine Lip Marks. These markings are found near the rim of the cartridge cases and are caused by magazine lips during the loading of the cartridges into the position of firing.
Firing Pin Drag Marks. In a similar process, striated marks called firing pin drag marks can be produced. When the firing pin springs forward to strike the primer of a cartridge, it may remain slightly forward and embedded in the primer. Certain barrels (like in the GLOCK) drop down slightly as recoil is forcing the action open. The cartridge case drops with the barrel causing the nose of the protruding firing pin to drag across the primer as it leaves the firing pin impression. The below comparison image shows firing pin drag marks produced by a Colt 45 AUTO pistol.
The Ejector Mark. (See our explanation in the impressed action marks above)
The summary of the marks that can be found on the shell is illustrated below:
We need to remember that some of the marks may occur only when the firearms are in action and during the time firearms are fired. Such action will produce force and pressure that is enough to produce both striated and impressed action marks.
Consequently, the final identification of a fatal gun is based not upon a few markings, but upon a PATTERN OF MARKINGS, (the peculiarities of markings of particular firearms alleged to have been used in the commission of a crime). These markings are the signature of a particular firearm and will serve and remain as their permanent identification.
THE INDIVIDUAL AND CLASS CHARACTERISTICS IN FIREARMS IDENTIFICATION
Firearm Identification is a comparative science that applies a two-level approach, using class characteristics and individual characteristics.
THE CLASS CHARACTERISTICS
Class characteristics of firearm barrels include measurable features which are part of the design of the firearm, such as the caliber and rifling pattern.
The caliber of a bullet is, at its most basic definition, the diameter of the bullet. The diameter can be expressed in inches or in millimeters. The diameter of the bullet will correspond to the diameter of the barrel of the firearm. The caliber designation of the firearm or ammunition depends not only on the diameter of the bullet but also on other dimensions of the cartridge, such as length and shape.
Rifling is a pattern of channels that run the length of a firearm barrel, manufactured with a helical pattern, or twist. These raised and lowered areas are called lands and grooves. The purpose of rifling is to impart a spin on the bullet along its long axis, which gyroscopically stabilizes the projectile and allows it to travel more accurately. The number and width of lands and grooves are determined by the manufacturer and will be the same for a large group of firearms.
This allows for quick inclusion or exclusion of a firearm as a possible weapon in a given case: If the bullet recovered from a crime scene has rifling of five lands and grooves with a right twist, and a suspect firearm submitted by the police agency has six lands and grooves with a left twist, the examiner knows immediately that the bullet was not fired by that particular firearm. The same kind of exclusion or elimination can be made if the rifling pattern has the same twist but different widths: wide lands and skinny grooves vs. wide grooves and skinny lands, for example.
Looking at the list below will help us what are CLASS CHARACTERISTICS: CLASS CHARACTERISTICS are those that exist in a firearm or firearms even prior to their manufacture. These characteristics are factory specifications and they serve as a basis to identify a group or class of firearms, like the following:
[1] Bore diameter – this is the distance measured between two opposite land and is considered as the caliber of the firearm.
[2] Number of lands and grooves – the number of land and grooves inside the bore of a fired firearm is always the same. If a bore has six lands, it will also have six grooves. The number of lands and grooves is a valuable class characteristic.
[3] Lands – the elevated portions inside the barrel
[4] Grooves – the depressed portions canal-like inside the barrel.
[5] Direction of twist – the rifling inside the gun barrel may twist either to the right or left. The twist of the rifling causes the bullet to “rotate” as it passes through the bore for the bullet to have “gyroscopic stability during its flight from muzzle to target.
[6] Width of lands – land width is dependent on the bore diameter, groove width, and number. The lands are a remainder of the circumference after subtracting all the groove widths.
[7] Width of grooves – this is measured as the shortest distance between the two sides or edges of a groove.
[8] Depth of grooves – groove depth in the bore is measured on a radius of the bore as seen in the cross-section. Grooves are usually a few thousand an inch deep. It is also equal to the height of the side of the land.
[9] Pitch of riflings – it is a measure of the twisting of the land and grooves. It refers to the distance advance by riflings in one complete run (360 degrees).
Additionally, the class characteristics for a fired cartridge case include the cartridge caliber, the shape of the firing pin, and the tooling marks on the breech.
If the class characteristics of two bullets or cartridge cases are the same, the firearm examiner moves on to the next level of comparison: individual characteristics.
THE INDIVIDUAL CHARACTERISTICS
Individual characteristics are those which are peculiar in a particular firearm and which are not found in all other firearms. They serve to identify a particular gun. These individual characteristics are generally found on the interior – the surface of a gun barrel, which registers into the fired bullet while inside the bore of the gun and to the base of the cartridge case when it exploded inside the chamber of the gun.
The successful identification of the firearms from discharged bullets and empty cartridge cases is based upon a basic principle “THERE IS NO DUPLICATION IN NATURE. AND EXCEPTIONS TO THIS RULE ARE NEVER MANIFESTED AS THE RESULT OF MAN’S INGENUITY. These characteristics are produced at the stage of manufacturing of firearms, and a result of the coincidental procedure and subsequent mutations.
Individual characteristics are the tiny imperfections and irregularities on the parts of a firearm produced accidentally during manufacture or from subsequent wear and tear. When a bullet travels down the barrel of a firearm, in addition to picking up the “macro” rifling marks (class characteristic), the bullet is also imparted with a pattern of lines and scratches from the individual characteristics in that barrel.
The primer of a cartridge case is struck with a firing pin that has a particular shape (class characteristic), but the firing pin also has tiny individual characteristics that can be impressed in the metal on the primer. Since the microscopic marks in the barrel and on the firing pin are random in nature, the pattern scratched or impressed on bullets and cartridge cases fired through one firearm will be different from the pattern of another firearm, even the same make, and model. AND THIS IS WHAT WE LOOK FOR DURING THE EXAMINATION AND ANALYSIS OF FIREARMS EVIDENCE.
WHAT IS PATTERN MATCHING?
PATTERN MATCHING is the process of determining whether or not the details of striated marks or impressions on two objects correspond. Early forensic scientists and their successors, (including Calvin Goddard, Julian S. Hatcher, Gerald Burrard, J. Howard Mathews) practiced pattern matching. Today, examiners continue to rely on their extensive experience, training, and education to perform the specialized pattern identification represented by toolmark identification.
The examiner compares the class characteristics of the two objects; if all class characteristics correspond, the examiner proceeds to compare the individual characteristics. During the comparison of the individual characteristics, the examiner looks for repetitive marks occurring on both objects in the same location and position. The examiner may test the tool in an effort to re-create the marks for comparison with the evidence marks.
This is a somewhat subjective process performed by the examiner. Pattern identification relies on the experience, training, and education of the examiner. The quality of training is the single most important element of the examiner’s competence and expertise. Long-term hands-on experience is gained from working side-by-side with an experienced examiner in a structured training program.
TOOLMARK EXAMINATIONS
Toolmark examinations and comparisons represent the core area of study for firearm and toolmark examiners. The conceptual and practical aspects of toolmark identification provide the skills necessary for firearms identification; “firearm identification” is a specialized subset of toolmark identification. Toolmark identification is based on the following concept:
(a) A tool is defined as the harder of two objects which, when brought into contact with each other, results in the softer object receiving a toolmark.
(b) Tools (e.g., screwdrivers, firearms, bolt cutters, etc.) will bear unique microscopic characteristics due to the manufacturing processes they undergo and use and abuse.
(c) These characteristics will mark surfaces (e.g., locks, cut wires, fired bullets, etc.) with class and individual characteristics.
(d) These class and individual characteristics are reproducible and identifiable with a particular tool.
PRINCIPLES INVOLVE IN SHELL IDENTIFICATION
1. The breech face and firing pin of every single firearm have individual microscopic individualities of their own;
2. Every firearm leaves its fingerprint or thumbprint on every cartridge it fires;
3. That, since the breech face of every weapon, has the individual distinction, the imprints of all cartridge cases fired from the same weapon are the same.
PRINCIPLES INVOLVE IN BULLET IDENTIFICATION
(1) No two barrels are microscopically alike or identical as the internal surface of the bore or barrels all possess individual characteristics of their own;
(2) When a bullet is fired from a rifled gun barrel, riflings are engraved therein, which vary in its minute details with other firearms, even of the same type.
(3) Every barrel leaves its mark known as a “thumb mark or fingerprint” on every bullet that passes through it.
THE FOLLOWING ARE THE EQUIPMENT GENERALLY USED IN FIREARMS IDENTIFICATION:
(1) Bullet Comparison Microscope
The most important equipment for scientific firearms examination. It is used for comparing evidence shells and bullets and test shells and bullets to determine whether they are fired from the same gun or not. Bullet comparison microscope was introduced in 1925. The first person to own and use this equipment is Dr. Calvin H. Goddard, the known father of Modern Ballistics. To date, bullet comparison microscopes are used with ease and convenience because of the technology.
What is shown is an old bullet comparison microscope where you need to peep at the eyepiece of the microscope (as with the stereoscopic microscope) to look at the minute detail of the striations and impression). The equipment below will give the examiner a direct enlarged image on the screen of the computer and will be recorded automatically and ready for printing as they wish.
(2) Stereoscopic Microscope
It is similar to a microscope. Its only difference is that it has two eyepieces. It has the capability to examine two bullets or shells microscopically. This is very useful in the preliminary examination. Unlike bullet comparison microscope, it has no camera attachment and therefore cannot produce a photomicrograph.
(3) Onoscope
A small instrument sometimes used in examining the internal surface of the gun barrel. It has a tiny lamp at the internal portion and this is inserted inside the bore for internal examinations.
(4) Shadowgraph
Another instrument whose function is similar to a microscope. It contains a series of microscopic lenses of different magnifications that can be used in examining fired bullets or fired shells to determine their class characteristics especially for preliminary examination and orientation purposes.
(5) Caliper
An instrument used in making measurements such as bullet diameter, bore diameter, barrel length, and other important details.
(6) Helixometer
This is an instrument used in measuring the pitch of riflings.
(7) Micrometer
Have the same use as in helixometer.
(8) Analytical or Torsion Balance
This is used for determining weights of bullets or shotgun pellets for possible determination of type, caliber, and make of firearms.
(9) Bullet Recovery Box (Drum)
A box used for test firing of the suspected firearms. Other means used in the test-firing of suspected firearms to obtain test bullets or test shells for comparative purpose are the following:
(10) Magnifying Glass
Use for preliminary examination and orientation purposes of the different marks (striation) on a bullet, shell, and firearms.
(11) Taper Gauge
Used primarily for determining the bore diameter of firearms.
(12) Electric Marker
Used in the laboratory for marking fired bullets, fired shells, and firearms submitted for examination.
PROCEDURES IN COLLECTION IDENTIFICATION AND PRESERVATION OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
A thorough understanding of physical evidence, its protection, preservation, and examination are necessary if the following important duties are properly performed:
[1] Once an officer has taken evidence into his possession, he must be able to establish its chain of custody until;
= The same is presented in court;
= Or return it .to the victim or suspect, as the case may be.
[2] It is necessary to be able to establish where the evidence has been at all times:
= If the officer expects to overcome questions presented by the defense;
= And to impress the judge or court that the evidence has been properly protected.
[3] If the evidence is out of the officer’s control for any period of time, he must be able to establish:
= Who had the evidence; and
= When it was returned.
COLLECTION OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
When collecting physical evidence, the officer or investigator should collect all articles, which are or may at some future date, be something of value as evidence. These articles consist of:
(1) Any physical object, which may tend to or indicate whether or not a crime was committed;
(2) Anything which may connect some particular person with the crime or crime scene;
EXAMPLE OF FIREARMS EVIDENCE
(a) The lethal or fatal weapon
(b) Fired bullet or bullets.
(c) Fired cartridge case
(d) Metal fragments
(e) Broken glasses
(f) Shotgun
DESIGNATION OF INVESTIGATING OFFICER TO COLLECT ALL PIECES OF EVIDENCE
This is so for the purpose of:
(1) Making the introduction of exhibits in court simpler; and
(2) Being able to keep records, and remembers where, when, and what was collected, which is much better if several men have to hands the same exhibits;
GREAT CARE OF PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
The keyword is do not “MAC” the evidence:
[1] Mutilate – in no case should the evidence be mutilated in any way, such as crushing, if ever this can be avoided.
[2] Alter – in no case should the evidence be altered in any way that may change its original nature. If alterations do occur the investigator or officer should take note in his report why this happened.
[3] Contaminate – and finally, in no case should the evidence be contaminated, that is adding anything which, may change the nature of the physical evidence.
SKETCHING AND PHOTOGRAPHING THE CRIME SCENE
The crime scene should be sketched and photographed. Photographs of the victim should be taken and all other suitable articles like a weapon, bullets, shells, holes, and all other related evidence, before removing them.
STATE THE PROCEDURE IN PROPER PACKING OF FIREARMS OR WEAPON BULLETS AND SHELLS:
The following are the procedure in proper packing of firearms or weapon, bullets, and shell:
[1] After marking the physical evidence. It must be wrapped surely in some soft material, It should always be placed in a suitable container to prevent any further or needless mutilation;
[2] Never, under any circumstances, place a discharged or fired bullet in clothing or pocket without first carefully wrapping it with some & protective covering.
[3] Regarding bullets, which are lodged in walls, furniture, wood trims, or even trees, extremes care must be exercised in removing this evidence. Do not attempt to dig out the evidence bullet with the knife, or ice pick; rather cut around the evidence in order not to touch it with anything that would tend to mark it.
[4] If the bullet or slug has broken up into many fragments or pieces, secure as many fragments as possible. These fragments may be fitted together which may aid in analyzing and examining it.
[5] If cartridge cases or shells are found at the crime scene, after marking them, they should be preserved as carefully as possible.
[6] If cartridge cases are found and appear loaded in a weapon, it is best to transport said weapon to the laboratory as it is, with the exception that a tag is secured to the weapon labeled, danger, loaded weapon.
[7] If for security reasons, the weapon must be unloaded, the investigator must carefully mark each cartridge and cartridge case together with the location of its origin.
[8] When a firearm is found at the scene of the crime the investigator should take note of the following pertinent facts about the firearms:
(a) Types of firearms (pistol, revolver, etc.);
(b) Make of the firearm (colt, S&W, etc.);
(c) The caliber of the firearm (cal. 22,38. etc.);
(d) Serial no. (most important);
(e) Load in the cylinder, if revolver, or load in the magazine, if pistol;
(f) Other features of significance (length of the barrel, nickel, or plated);
(g) Position of a firearm in relation to a dead body at the crime scene;
(h) Other distinct outside marks.
[9] When a bullet/bullets are found at the crime scene, the following should be noted;
(a) Type of bullet (lead or jacketed);
(b) The caliber of the bullet;
(c) Shape or form of the bullet (round nose, flat nose, etc,);
(d) Other metal or bullet fragment if any; and
(e) Relative position
[10] When shell or shell are found at the scene of the crime, the following should be noted down;
(a) Number of the shells and order of recovery;
(b) The caliber of the shells;
(c) Trademark or brand of the shells;
(d) Relative position of the shells at the crime scene.
THE FOLLOWING ARE THE MOST IMPORTANT REASON FOR THE MARKING OF EVIDENCE:
[1] The officer may be called to the witness stand several weeks or month later, or even years later after the commission of the crime, to identify the object he collected at the time of the offense;
[2] The officer can not completely rely on his memory because there will be many more cases that he will handle after every case;
[3] Defense counsel may require that the complete “chain and custody of evidence” be established
THE FOLLOWING ARE THE PROCEDURAL STEPS IN MARKING PHYSICAL EVIDENCE:
[1] Use a distinctive mark in order to exclude others, such as your initials, serial numbers, or personal marks;
[2] Record the mark used together with the position of the mark;
[3] Record any serial number or other distinctive marks found on the physical evidence;
[4] If ever possible, mark the object Itself with Due Care in order to avoid any damages or alternation;
[5] Do not forget to mark the container where the physical evidence is placed, notwithstanding the marking already on the object itself;
[6] Whenever tags are used, make a corresponding entry in it and attach it accurately to the object.
HOW TO MARK FIREARM EVIDENCE
Bullet
The fired bullet or slug should be marked by the investigator or a police officer who recovers it with his initials nose or base as the case may be, together with the corresponding date of recovery. (see sample markings)
Fired Shell
The initials of the recovering investigator together with the date of recovery should be made just on the inside and near the mouth with a sharp and metallic instrument.
Firearms
Any suspected firearm should be marked by the investigator or police officer who recovered it, with his initials and corresponding date, on any of the three main and separable parts, barrel, cylinder, and frame, in case of revolver and barrel, slide, frame or receiver, in case of a pistol. Of course, this is done without utter disregard for taking down the serial number of the firearm.
A TAG should Be PROVIDED WITH THE FOLLOWING ENTRIES
(a) type of firearm;
(b) make of firearm;
(c) serial number;
(d) date of recovery;
(e) place of recovery;
(f) name of a victim if any; and
(g) name of the suspect
WHAT ARE DONTs IN MARKING OF FIREARM BULLET AND SHELL?
The following are don’t in marking firearm, bullet, and shell:
(1) Never use [x] as an initial for identifying mark;
(2) Do not put any identifying mark in a cylinder or peripheral surface of any bullet or slug.
(3) Do not put any identifying mark on the base of a shell;
(4) Do not put any identifying mark on any separable part of a firearm.
RULES IN PRESERVING PHYSICAL EVIDENCE
(1) Evidence should be properly preserved for future identification and presentation during the trial of the case;
(2) Firearm evidence must be kept in the proper place and under a proper condition so that it will be of greatest value in the prosecution of the case;
(3) Fired bullet & shell after having been marked should be wrapped in tissue paper & sealed in a box;
(4) The container should be properly labeled or marked;
(5) Each article of evidence should be placed in a separate container, and each container shall be accordingly marked for future references;
(6) Use a container that will not easily break and one which is large enough that the evidence can be removed and replace without difficulty;
(7) The suspected firearm should be properly wrapped and placed in a container to prevent loss or tampering.
NOTE: If you are still interested to see how “TOOLMARKS IDENTIFICATION” is applied in Firearms Identification CLICK HERE to get a PDF copy.
END OF THE MODULE.
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