About the Book
In the post-Daubert era, forensic science disciplines are increasingly informed by robust, statistically-sound experimental research. The educational value of the well-documented case study, however, remains as important as ever. Emphasizing known contextual information, this volume serves as a case-driven guide to skeletal trauma analysis through the unique perspective of each chapter s authors. Both forensic anthropologists and pathologists contribute skeletal trauma cases covering a range of topics including child abuse, blunt force trauma, descents from height, plane crashes, sharp force trauma and dismemberment, gunshot wounds, blast trauma, and burned body interpretation. Several chapters also include a discussion of potentially confounding taphonomic influences such as animal scavenging, water immersion, burning, and extended postmortem intervals. Detailed descriptions with multiple supporting images allow the practitioner s skeletal trauma interpretation to be compared to the answer as it pertains to the known circumstances surrounding the traumatic events of each case.
Table of Contents:
List of contributors xi 1 Introduction 1 Nicholas V. Passalacqua and Christopher W. Rainwater Skeletal trauma analysis: case studies in context 2 References 6 2 Atypical gunshot and blunt force injuries: wounds along the biomechanical continuum 7 Brian F. Spatola Introduction 7 Background 8 Gunshot trauma 10 Blunt force trauma 11 Biomechanical continuum 12 Case 1: depressed fracture of inner table from historic gunshot contusion 14 Case 2: depressed fracture from .32 caliber, short, Smith & Wesson projectile 15 Case 3: penetrating depressed fracture from detached umbrella tip 17 Case 4: depressed fracture from perforating blunt impact from edged metal foreign object 19 Discussion 19 Conclusion 23 Acknowledgments 24 Disclaimer 24 References 24 3 Over-interpretation of bone injuries and implications for cause and manner of death 27 Joao Pinheiro, Eugenia Cunha, and Steven Symes Introduction 27 The cases 29 Scene context 33 Autopsy and police investigation 35 Discussion and conclusions 38 Acknowledgments 40 References 40 4 Skeletal injuries in cases of child abuse: two case studies from the Harris County Institute of Forensic Sciences 42 Jason M. Wiersema and Jennifer C. Love Introduction 42 Case 1 43 Case 2 50 Conclusions 55 References 55 5 Blunt force trauma patterns in the human skull and thorax: a case study from northern California 56 Eric J. Bartelink Introduction 56 Case background 58 Biological profile 58 Antemortem trauma 59 Perimortem trauma 61 Trauma interpretation 66 Case resolution 68 Conclusions 69 Acknowledgments 70 References 70 6 Patterns of skeletal trauma inflicted during the Spanish Civil War 74 Nicholas V. Passalacqua, Ciaran Brewster, Marina Martinez de Pinillos Gonzalez, and Jose Miguel Carretero Diaz Introduction 74 The Spanish Civil War 74 Materials 76 Examples of trauma from Monte Costajan 77 Patterns of skeletal trauma 85 Conclusions 88 References 89 7 Shot and beaten to death? Suspected projectile and blunt force trauma in a case involving an extended period of postmortem water immersion 90 Hugo F.V. Cardoso, Katerina S. Puentes, and Luis F.N. Coelho Introduction 90 Case description 92 Trauma analysis 94 Discussion and conclusions 102 Acknowledgments 106 References 106 8 Man s best friend: a case study of ballistics trauma and animal scavenging 108 Gina Hart Introduction 108 Bone biomechanics 108 Case study 110 References 116 9 Skeletal evidence of violent sexual assault in remains with excessive evidence of scavenging 118 Hugh E. Berryman and Tiffany B. Saul Introduction 118 Case history 118 Analysis 119 An additional finding 124 Discussion 126 Conclusions 128 References 129 10 Neurocranial fractures 130 Jennifer C. Love Introduction 130 Case 1 130 Case 2 131 Understanding neurocranial fracture patterns 136 Experimental studies 139 Computer modeling 141 Case studies 144 Conclusions 145 References 145 11 Blunt force trauma associated with a fall from heights 147 MariaTeresa A. Tersigni-Tarrant Introduction 147 Trauma analysis 149 Summary 154 Case outcome 154 References 155 12 Low-velocity impact trauma: an illustrative selection of cases from the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command Central Identification Laboratory 156 Paul Emanovsky Introduction 156 Case 1 158 Case 2 161 Case 3 163 Conclusions/takeaways 164 References 166 13 Blast trauma 167 Angi M. Christensen and Victoria A. Smith Introduction 167 Blast traumas 167 Experimental studies on skeletal blast trauma 169 Differentiating blast trauma from other types of trauma 174 Disclaimer 175 References 175 14 Case studies in skeletal blast trauma 177 Nikki A. Willits, Joseph T. Hefner, and MariaTeresa Tersigni-Tarrant Introduction 177 Case background 177 Case reports 179 Discussion 184 Conclusions 187 Disclaimer 187 Acknowledgments 188 References 188 15 Burned human remains in a double homicide: a forensic case in Cyprus 189 Popi Th. Chrysostomou Introduction 189 Case study overview 190 Initial anthropological analysis 191 Pattern analysis and injury mechanism 192 Taking the next step: in search for the torso 199 Discussion 201 Acknowledgments 202 References 202 16 The utility of spatial analysis in the recognition of normal and abnormal patterns in burned human remains 204 Christina L. Fojas, Luis L. Cabo, Nicholas V. Passalacqua, Christopher W. Rainwater, Katerina S. Puentes, and Steven A. Symes Introduction 204 Classifying the severity of fire modification 206 Recognizing process signatures 207 Methods 209 Results 212 Discussion 212 Conclusions 218 Acknowledgments 219 References 219 17 Three modes of dismemberment: disarticulation around the joints, transecting of bone via chopping, and transection of bone via sawing, 222 Christopher W. Rainwater Introduction, 222 Modes of dismemberment, 224 Case 1: Disarticulation around the joints, 225 Case 2: transection via chopping, 231 Case 3: transection via sawing, 239 Conclusions, 244 References, 244 18 Kreischer Mansion homicide, 246 Lauren Regucci and Bradley Adams Introduction, 246 Case background/investigation, 246 Homicide details, 248 Search and recovery efforts I, 250 Search and recovery efforts II, 252 Initial findings/interpretation, 255 Search and recovery efforts III, 257 Findings/interpretations, 259 Trial and conviction, 263 Disclaimer, 264 References, 265 19 Postmortem trauma and the CSI Effect: is television making smarter criminals? 266 Elizabeth A. Murray and Anthony E. Dwyer Introduction 266 The CSI Effect 266 Criminal behavior and forensic anthropology 268 The case 269 Conclusions 285 References 286 Index 289
About the Author :
Nicholas V. Passalacqua received his Bachelor of Arts degree from Michigan State University, his Master of Science degree from Mercyhurst University, and a Master of Arts and PhD from Michigan State University. Nick works as a deploying anthropologist at the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command - Central Identification Laboratory, actively engaging in the recovery and identification of U.S. servicemembers from past conflicts. Christopher W. Rainwater received his Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Florida, his Master of Science degree from Mercyhurst University, and is currently a PhD candidate at New York University. Chris works as a forensic anthropologist for the Office of Chief Medical Examiner in New York City, actively engaging in anthropological casework in all five boroughs. He also serves as the Director of Photography for the agency.
