Collecting the evidence

  Throughout the investigation process there are many procedures that need to be followed by every member of the investigation team in order for the case to be handled correctly and also to ensure that the evidence is collected and preserved without being contaminated. The evidence needs to be collected and preserved correctly so that the convictions of a guilty individual can be obtained without argument relating to the reliability of the evidence. 

  Speaking to the first attending officer 

  The procedure of speaking to the first attending officer is put in place in order for the rest of the investigation team to gain any knowledge of specific evidence that has been found at the crime scene. This procedure is also important as it allows the SOCO's know what they are facing and where any potential evidence is, this then gives the SOCO's information to what type of evidence they are required to collect. 

In the OJ Simpson investigation by the time the scene of crime officers had arrived at the crime scene, the investigation had been taken over by the HSS (homicide special section) of the LAPD's homicide/robbery division. The scenes of crime officers were unable to speak to the first attending officers as they had been relieved from the crime scene and were now off duty. Instead of speaking to the first attending officers the scenes of crime officers were able to speak to detective Vannatter, who was ne of the lead detectives. Detective Vannatter was able to brief the scenes of crime officers about the crime scene so that they were prepared from the crime scene and knew what types of evidence that they needed to collect.

Personal Protective Equipment (PPE)

  When attending a crime scene anyone entering the crime scene in order to examine it and any scenes of crime officers would need to wear personal protective equipment. Personal protective equipment is designed in order to protect the person wearing it from the crime scene, the crime scene could contain bodily fluids, blood, weapons and drugs so the PPE ensures that the person wearing it is free from the risks that the crime scene may posses.Not only does the personal protective equipment keep the person wearing it safe but it also is worn in order to protect the crime scene from being contaminated with fibres from their clothes and fingerprints when they handle any evidence. Personal protective equipment is composed of five key items that all need to be worn to prevent contamination and risks, a full body suit with a hood, gloves, shoe protectors, goggles and a face mask that covers the nose and the mouth. 

During the OJ Simpson investigation most of the personnel that entered the crime scene totally disregarded the procedure of wearing personal protective equipment, for example the first attending officer Robert Riske called for back up on Nicole Brown Simpson's house phone without the use of gloves, contaminating any evidence that may have been present on the phone. Many of the police officers who arrived at the crime scene throughout the night did also not wear any personal protective equipment, even though they were involved in touching items at the crime scene and also examining the evidence. Due to the procedure of wearing personal protective equipment being ignored this means that vital evidence from the crime scene could have been contaminated, this then meant that in court, OJ Simpson's defence could question this such as how reliable the evidence was and if all personnel followed the procedure of wearing personal protective equipment. 

Securing the scene

  The procedure of securing the crime scene is carried out by using crime scene tape in order to prevent any unauthorised personnel such as the public from entering the crime scene. A police officer will also be placed at the entrance of the crime scene to ensure that people do not get past the crime scene tape unless they have been authorised to do so. Both the crime scene tape and also the police officer ensure that the crime scene is kept secure from the media, the general public and also the personal who has committed the crime as they may come back to the crime scene in an attempt to collect any evidence that connects them to the crime. Securing the crime scene also helps to point out the areas where parts of the crime has been committed and also any evidence that needs to be collected, this prevents any evidence from being missed or overlooked when it is being collected. 

In the OJ Simpson investigation the securing of the crime scene was completed on the arrival of Sergeant Coon and officers Walker and McGowan, as both neighbours and the media were present the crime scene was secured quickly from the gateway of the entrance to the property. However as the crime scene tape was only applied to the immediate area where the crime scene had taken place, this meant that potentially important evidence on the pavement could have been missed or contaminated. 

Initial crime scene assessment 

  An initial crime scene assessment involves recording everything that is present at the crime scene, this includes things such as whether the windows at the crime scene were open. Recording the crime scene provides a report of how the crime scene was found before being processed by the crime scene officers. Part of the initial assessment also includes completing a plan of the premises which is a basic plan of the crime scene represented by sketches showing the layout of the crime scene. This basic plan of the crime scene can bee referred to after the scene has been processed in order to get a clear picture of what occurred at the crime scene. At this point the crime scene will also be photographed as it allows a permanent visual record of the crime scene and also how and where any evidence was before it had been collected. When evidence is found it will also be photographed with measurement scales, so the precise size of the evidence will be apparent and clear to see in the photograph. 

In the OJ Simpson investigation the initial crime scene assessment was not carried out by a scene of crime officer or a specific officer that had been assigned to the case, instead the lead detectives made their own noted regarding the crime scene and the evidence that had been discovered. Although the lead detectives made individual notes, these notes were not shared with each other, which then lead to some of the evidence being missed. Some of the evidence was missed as when the scene of crime officers arrived some police officers were not aware of certain pieces of evidence which should have been collected. When the scenes of crime officers arrived they did not complete their own initial assessment and were urged by the lead detectives to start collecting evidence due to the neighbours and the media starting to arrive at the crime scene. The officers at the crime scene wanted the evidence to be collected quickly and the crime scene to be shut down as soon as possible. When the police photographer arrived at the crime scene he took general photographs of the crime scene but he was not allowed to take photographs of the evidence of the bodies until the scenes of crime officers had also arrived at the scene. This then lead to the suspicion that certain pieces of evidence could have been planted as no official documentation of the crime scene was carried out.

Common approach pathway

  Setting up a common approach pathway comes prior to processing the scene and prior to collecting any evidence, the common approach pathway is set out by a scene of crime officer and is a pathway that anyone entering the crime scene should follow. The common approach pathway is used in order to protect the evidence by making a clear route for people to follow in order to prevent the evidence being damaged or contaminated. 

During the OJ Simpson investigation the common approach pathway was not set out by the scenes of crime officers or any other officer that attended the crime scene. Due to there being no common approach pathway some of the police officers present at the crime scene walked through Nicole Brown Simpson's blood, which was on the pathway leading to the house. Due to having no common approach pathway mud was transferred from the gardens onto the pathway close to the bodies and close to where blood evidence was. The contamination and the disturbance of the evidence allowed the defence to argue that all of the blood evidence on the path which included blood drops that were identified as belonging to OJ Simpson, was contaminated and was not able to be used as evidence in court. Due to all of the contamination and disturbance of evidence this then proved to be bad for the investigation and also the case as a whole. 

Crime scene entry log

  Before anyone such as police officers and scenes of crime officers can enter the crime scene they have to sign into an entry log, the officer stationed at the entrance of the crime scene is the person who is in charge of managing this entry log. This entry log enables a log to be kept of who enters and leaves the crime scene and at what times they entered and left the crime scene. As this entry log keeps track of everyone who has entered the crime scene it can be used as proof to prove that no unauthorised personnel had entered the scene once it had been declared as a crime scene. 

In the OJ Simpson investigation the procedure of having a crime scene entry log was not followed by any of the scene of crime officers or any police officers that had attended the scene. Before the lead detectives arrived at the crime scene up to 18 officers had entered the crime scene but they could not be identified and neither could their reason for being at the crime scene, as there was no entry log. This was a big part of the case as large numbers of people who had entered the crime scene could have caused contamination to key pieces of evidence. Due to many of the officers being unable to be identified OJ Simpson's defence argued that any of these officers who had no real reason to be at the crime scene could have planted evidence that was found at the crime scene. 

Evidence collected

  During any investigation there are 3 types of evidence that can be collected from a crime scene, these types of evidence are biological evidence, physical evidence and chemical evidence. When these types of evidence reach the laboratory, they are each analysed differently and can all provide different information regarding a crime, that has occurred at one specific crime scene. 

Biological evidence:

Biological evidence is evidence that is made from organic materials and originates or is composed of living organisms. Types of biological evidence include bodily fluids such as blood, semen and also saliva but biological evidence can also include skin tissue and hair. Fingerprints are also classed as biological evidence as they are composed of sweat and oils which are produced from the sweat glands, which are located on the fingers. 

In the OJ Simpson investigation, a number of pieces of biological evidence were collected by the scenes of crime officers. The biological evidence from the OJ Simpson investigation included, swabs of blood which had been collected from various areas of the crime scene and also hair samples which were collected from the shirt that was worn by Ronald Goldman. 

Physical evidence:

Physical evidence includes items and objects that are collected at a crime scene in order to be analysed, examples of physical evidence include video footage, footprints vehicles and also any weapons. 

In the OJ Simpson investigation various pieces of evidence were recovered which fall into the physical evidence category. The first piece of psychical evidence collected was a blood covered leather glove which was collected from the scene of the murders, when OJ Simpson's home was searched by investigators there was a also a blood soaked leather glove located on a pathway which was leading from a rear entrance, this glove appeared to match the glove that was collected from the crime scene. A blue knitted hat was also collected from the crime scene, this hat was located near the bodies of Nicole Brown Simpson and Ronald Goldman.The final piece of physical evidence that was collected was a bloody footprint which was collected from Nicole Brown Simpson's property, although the footprint was composed of a biological source, the footprint itself is classed as physical evidence. 

Chemical evidence: 

Chemical evidence is evidence which is composed of chemical compounds and element, chemical evidence include things such as gunshot residue, paint, toxins such as poisons and also drugs. 

In the OJ Simpson investigation no chemical evidence was collected from the crime scene by the scenes of crime officers, this is due to there being no chemical evidence found and no indication that any chemical evidence would be present at the crime scene. However if the victims were killed due to a gunshot wound or a drug overdose then the scenes of crime officers would have attempted to collect gunshot reside or drug like substances from the crime scene. 

The analysis of the evidence

  Once evidence has been collected from a crime scene by the scenes of crime officers it will be transported to a forensic laboratory or police station in order to be examined and analysed. The analysis of each of the different types of evidence is carried out to attempt to retrieve information regarding the crime that has been carried out. The analysis of evidence can help the investigators to gain leads regarding a crime and also build a case against a suspect. Depending on what the evidence is depends on the way it will be analysed, for example blood evidence would need to be sent to a forensics lab in order to have tests carried out to gain information regarding the crime. Whereas investigators would examine evidence such as witness statements and surveillance information, like with lab-analysed evidence, this would be done to attempt to gain information regarding the crime that has occurred.

In relation to the murders of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman there were a large number of pieces of evidence sent to be analysed at a forensics lab, there were also pieces of evidence which did not need to be analysed in this way and were therefore only examined by the investigators involved in the case.

The first example of a piece of biological evidence from this case that would have been examined at a forensics lab was the blood samples collected from the scene of the murders.The way in which this blood evidence in the majority of cases would have been analysed would be firstly using a presumptive test called the Kastle Meyer Reagent Test, this test provides an indication regarding whether the sample that has been collected is definitely blood. To carry out this test, the sample would firstly be transferred onto a piece of filter paper, and then to the sample ethanol, Kastle Meyer and hydrogen peroxide would be added. A positive indication of blood would occur if the sample turned a bright pink colour, this would be due to the chemicals reacting with the haemoglobin in the blood. If a positive result were observed, the sample would then be sent for further testing in the form of DNA testing. This would provide a DNA profile regarding the person whose blood it is, this profile can then be compared to known profiles of indication, in order to attempt to find a match.

An example of a piece of physical evidence collected at the scene of the murders of Nicole and Ron, which would have been analysed at a forensics lab is the gloves, one of which was collected at the crime scene and another which was collected at Simpson’s house. Firstly the material making up these gloves would have been microscopically examined in order to attempt to identify the type of material the gloves were made of, after examination the gloves were found to have been made from leather. Secondly measurements of the gloves would have been taken in order to identify the size of the gloves, this would have allowed the investigators to identify if the gloves would have fit the suspect, in this case OJ Simpson. As the gloves were blood soaked this also would have been examined using DNA testing a DNA profile would have been obtained regarding the person whose blood it is, this profile was then compared to the DNA profiles of Nicole and Ron, it was found to be a match.

As mentioned above, some types of evidence do not need to be analysed in a laboratory and are instead handled by the investigators or other professionals involved in a case. Examples of evidence within the case of the murders of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman that was examined in this way would be witness statements that were obtained from a number of different people.The witness statements obtained in this case included that of Alan Park, Simpson’s limo driver. This statement was obtained and examined by investigators as Park was able to provide testament that whilst waiting outside Simpson’s residence to take him to the airport, he observed an individual matching Simpson’s description sneaking into the house, shortly after the time the murders would have occurred. This would have been able to provide the investigators with testament proving that Simpson was out of his house and without an alibi for the time the murders occurred.

Presentation of findings from the evidence

  The final stage in any criminal investigation is when the case goes to court, and is tried in front of a judge and jury. The purpose of a case being heard in court is in order to attempt to gain a conviction of a guilty individual or individuals. When a case goes to court all the information that has been gained throughout the course of the investigation from intelligence, witness statements and the prosecution in the presence of a judge and jury presents all of the information. If a Jury is present in the case they will hear all the facts and information regarding a case and will deliberate to come to a conclusion regarding whether a suspect is guilty or innocent.

Before any case goes to court a case file will be prepared by the investigators, this case file will be compiled of notes, sketches, details regarding evidence and all of the relevant facts regarding the case that would need to be known for a case to go to court. This case file would then go to the crown prosecution service in order for them to prepare their case, and select witnesses and specialists to be involved in the case. The case file will be primarily presented by the CPS and will be backed up by the testimony of witnesses present at the scene of a crime, or with knowledge regarding an aspect of the crime. The case will also be backed up by expert witness testimonies given by professionals who specialise in specific areas such as blood splatter or DNA analysis.

In the case of the murders of Nicole Brown and Ronald Goldman, the prosecution prepared their case against OJ Simpson who was being charged with both murders. The prosecution received case files from the investigators and used these to plan their case for court. The case file included details of all the analysis of each of the pieces of evidence that had been collected from the scene as well as notes and photographs. Although the prosecution had a great deal of evidence pointing to the guilt of Simpson they failed to present it efficiently to the jury in order to prove his guilt, mainly this was because of the mistakes which had occurred throughout the investigation which led to crucial evidence being dismissed in court. Also although the main piece of evidence being presented was made up of biological evidence – mainly blood, the prosecution failed to provide an expert in DNA analysis to be an expert witness, if they had the expert would have been able to give the jury a better understanding of what the analysis of the blood indicated. The defence however did employ a specialist in DNA analysis who was able to give expert testimony into why the blood evidence should not be seen as reliable evidence in the prosecutions case. Another mistake which was made in court, was that the prosecution asked Simpson to try on the glove which had been collected as evidence from his property – in doing this they hoped that they would prove that the gloves were his as they were a perfect fit. However due to the fact they had been soaked in blood and left to dry the gloves had shrunk and did not fit, as this was carried out in front of the jury this would have greatly damaged the presentation of the prosecutions findings.