Incident of Alleged Rape of Miss Mary Jay by Big Mickey - Assignment Example

?Witness ment: Incident of Alleged Rape of Miss Mary Jay by Big Mickey On the basis of a complaint by Miss Mary Jay, alleging that Big Mickey has raped her at Ruskin Park, Detective Inspector Frost, designated as the leader for its investigation, ordered a team of 4 detectives, including me, to visit Ruskin Park and record the scene visually through the means of sketches, video and still photographs. The team was also required to take the entire measurement of the crime scene, including all items that would be recovered. Since the weather forecast predicted unfavourable conditions, we were instructed to proceed to the location as soon as possible in order to preserve all the available evidence and prevent any loss or damage to the evidence. Each member of the group had been directed to recover and package at least two exhibits. In addition, every member of the team was to prepare a sketch with measurements as well as to complete a scene book recording the entire details. I along with a team, comprising three other detectives, left our station at 0400 hrs and reached the location at 0415 hrs. On reaching the location I briefed the other team members on the procedure to be followed and told them that I will do the video recording of the entire area as well as the main items we recover. However, they were told to take any specific items that they may recover and retrieve as evidence. As soon as the briefing process was over, we did the initial assessment of the crime scene and I proceeded to record the scene and the recording on CD is submitted as Exhibit MAS-001. A copy of the same has been kept in Police HQ on thumb drive. During my initial assessment, I estimated that the actual crime scene would be around 50 metres from the sidewalk and about 10 metres from a footpath inside the park, by the side of the hedge. I could identify the area distinctly because of the flattened grass turf in the scene and, additionally, there were also a few small clumps of grass in the area, which suggested of a person trying to grab the grass while fighting. Besides, I could also see the finger marks on the ground as if someone was trying to clutch the ground for balancing or crawling away to ward of an attacking person. Similarly, I could also see elongated marks on the ground as a result of someone attempting to hold ground while pushing another person away. There were also telltale marks of shoe toes on the ground suggesting that someone was balancing the feet on ground to hold another person down. Subsequently, I recorded the other items that were lying on the crime scene. At first I retrieved the condom and its wrap, which have been produced as exhibit MAS-002. The condom had some semen in it and there were droplets on the ground nearby. I recorded these in close up as well as the area from where it was recovered. The first was a woman’s underwear hanging from a tree and I recorded it from the position we were standing. I went closer to record it from below. After retrieving it, I again recorded it from close range. It was a black coloured, laced panties and its elastic band had become loose. It had torn in two places clearly suggesting that someone had pried it off rather than the person wearing it removed it. It was a Calvin Klein brand I also recorded label and the areas where it had been torn. It is produced as Exhibit MAS-003. Next, I recorded a beer bottle that was lying on the ground. Initially, I recorded it from a distance and then went closer to record a close up view. I also turned the bottle on to its other side to record its label. It was Heineken and there was some beer still left in the bottle. I have produced this as Exhibit MAS-004. I also recorded the black shoe, which was of Lee Cooper brand and 9 inches in size. There were mud stains on the shoe and on the toe it had mud sticking to it with small particles of grass sticking to it. I recorded it in close up and it has been produced as exhibit NBW-001. The next item was a knife, which I recorded, following the same procedure as in the other cases. It was made of steel and may be 7 inches long with a sharp edge but I am not sure as the other detective, NBW had taken the measurements. However, there were no bloodstains or any other markings on it. This has been produced as NBW-002. I had also subsequently recorded, following the same procedure as above, a black shoe, a condom, the condom’s wrap as well as a Nokia phone, which were lying on the ground. I have made both close and long range recordings of all these evidences. These were produced by the other detectives as their exhibits. In addition, I also took the photographs of all relevant evidences such as general scene shots, mid range and close up shots of each piece of evidence available at the site. Again, I took the shots of all evidences including close ups of labels and brand markings. Besides, I had also collected the condom and its wrap to be exhibited as MAS-002. NBW collected the black shoe and the knife to be exhibited as NBW-001 and NBW-002 respectively. The other officers had collected the mobile phone and other materials to be exhibited as their evidences. I had also seen them take the measurements of all the items recovered and the area where these were strewn around as well as the distance between each of the items. They also prepared sketches marking the location of each item and indicating the distance between each of them. To obtain the relevant photographic evidence to support the crime scene investigation, I had covered first the entire area of the park where the alleged rape took place and then the close range snaps of areas such as the nearby thickets which were disturbed. There were foot, toe and claw marks on the grass turf, which clearly suggest of a struggle on the ground between two people. I obtained photographs of both close up shots and long shots of these evidences and I have exhibited them as MAS-005. There were also a few tufts of uprooted grass, suggesting that some was clamping them to gain ground while he or she was fighting within another person. I took both close-ups and long shots of all the markings in close range. I have photographed all these marks as well as prepared the sketches of the same, duly recording the measurements of the distance between the marks as well as the other evidences. I have produced all the related sketches of the markings as Exhibit MAS-006. In addition, I have also taken 8 photographs of the markings in total, and I have produced them as exhibits as explained above. After concluding the video recording and photographing procedures of the site and the articles recovered, I proceeded to examine the articles I recovered for detecting fingerprints, with the help of a flashlight. I could see some distinct prints stains on the beer bottle. I took photographs of these prints. Besides, I obtained lifts of these prints from the beer bottle and produced them as Exhibit MAS-007. I used powder technique but no more prints were recovered from the bottle. I also observed three fingerprints on the condom, when I used powder technique on it. I have taken lifts of these, which are exhibited as MAS-008 and produced in the court. I have also obtained fingerprints from the woman’s underwear subsequently at the police lab, with the help of the lab assistants and other technical experts, using iodine fuming technique and these are produced as Exhibit MAS-009. There were some footprints on the ground, which I have photographed as well as made the sketches of and I have taken the ELSA lift of footwear marks and produced them as Exhibit MAS-010. A thorough search of the area also yielded recovery of some hairs, including body hair as well as hair from pubic area and head. Some were long hairs, obviously of a woman and some were shorter. I had categorised them separately and photographed them. I packaged them separately in two envelopes, labelled them and have sent them for lab report. The lab report of each item is produced as Exhibit MAS-011. I also recovered a cigarette stub. It was Dunhill, only half smoked. I examined it, made a video recording of the area where it was lying as well as the close up recording. I also noticed spittle mark on the filter tip and then I took photos of the cigarette butt. Subsequently, after I took a close up photo of the spit mark, I packaged it. I have produced it as Exhibit MAS-012. After ensuring that the sorting and the packaging of all the items have been done in the proper manner and making sure that all the evidences are properly secured, I proceeded to make an inventory of the items. I listed the inventory by prioritising the items on the basis of their significance as evidence. Once the inventorying process was over, I went on to take measurements of the whole area using a measuring tape and taking into account the clutch marks and foot markings as the determined area of struggle. It measured about 10 ft in circumference. I prepared a detailed sketch, indicating the specific spots where heel marks, clutching marks and toe marks have been noticed. In addition, I also marked the spots where clumps of grass have been recovered. After preparation of the detailed sketches of the area, I proceeded to write may crime case book. First I described the area, which had a thick growth of shrubs along the hedge as well as by the side of the footpath inside the garden. I recorded my assumption that the alleged perpetrator had pushed or pulled the victim into the thicket to avoid being noticed from distance lest any passersby happen to go by at that time of the night. I then wrote a description of the ground, which was matted with short, lush green grass turf. Therefore, the telltale signs of the struggle on the ground were distinct and clear, which is suggestive of the fact that what transpired there was against Miss Mary Jay’s consent. I have offered detailed description of the location, its topography, the setting etc in the casebook to provide a clear idea of the surroundings. I have also recorded all the processes that I have done, from the point of reaching at the location to the conclusion of the crime scene investigation and the inventorying and recording of evidence. After the preparation of the case book was over, I have debriefed the other members of the team and asked them to make sure that all the evidences are properly secured and recorded. I also made sure that they have all the sketches and prepared the casebooks. After making sure that everything is in order we returned to our station around 0815. After reaching to the station, I deposited all the evidences and sketches etc into our security property storage room. I have made sure that all evidences are properly labelled, sealed and secured. Besides, I also sent the relevant materials for lab examination after making the entry in appropriate records, and reported to the Chief Inspector. Read More