You saw WHAT?!
Explain the difference between testimonial and physical evidence.
Testimonial is given by a person, and physical is something material you find at a crime scene.
List five types of physical evidence
Transient, Conditional, Material, Circumstantial and probative.
State the difference between class and individual evidence
Class narrows down to a group, individual narrows down to one person.
Explain how individualized evidence can have probative value.
It can prove that someone was there or not there.
Which is generally more reliable, physical evidence or testimonial evidence?
Physical evidence
How is circumstantial evidence different from physical evidence?
Physical evidence proves something. Circumstantial is a suggestion.
Can class evidence be used to link a suspect with certainty to a victim or crime? Can individual Evidence?
Class - no
Individual - yes
Give 3 examples of conditional evidence and explain why it is conditional.
1. weapon used 2. crime scene layout 3. lighting
List 3 factors that may affect the memory of an eyewitness in recounting a crime.
age, location, vision, crime committed, lighting
Give 3 examples of transient evidence and explain why it may be transient
smoke, temperature, lighting, footprints
Transient is evidence that is temporary.
Explain how class evidence may be useful.
It can narrow down the suspect pool.
What is meant by indirect evidence?
physical evidence - anything that has to be processed by a second party.
What significant type of evidence was used to convict
Coral Eugene Watts?
Testimonial
Where is physical evidence found and collected?
at any crime scene
How can class evidence be used to narrow a field of suspects?
Running tests against knowns to find something individual about it.
What is direct evidence?
testimonial evidence - anything directly from the source.
Why did prosecutors want to reopen his case after so many years?
They thought the statements were unreliable, and DNA evidence was becoming a "thing"
Why is physical evidence important? What can it prove?
It has probative value -it can prove that someone was or was not at a crime scene.
Explain how class evidence can have probative value.
It can narrow down the suspect list, and eliminate some suspects that don't fit in the group
What is meant by a controlled sample?
any sample that is "known" and can serve as a comparison to the unknown evidence.