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How Old Is That Fingerprint?

Loaded on May 15, 2020 by Douglas Ankney published in Criminal Legal News June, 2020, page 50
Filed under: junk science. Location: United States of America.

by Douglas Ankney

While forensic scientists have, for more than a hundred years, been able to opine that a fingerprint came from a particular person, the limitations of science did not permit them to state when the fingerprint was left by that person.

But that limitation may have been recently shattered. Using a method of matrix-assisted laser/desorption ionization mass spectrometry (“MALDI-MS”), researchers were able to track shifting levels of triacylglycerols (body oil). Pinning down the time the person touched the object and left the fingerprint would assist investigators in establishing a better timeline, in ruling out a suspect or in contradicting one’s story.

The new study, published in Analytical Chemistry by researchers Paige Hinners, Madison Thomas, and Young-Jin Lee from Iowa State University, indicates the researchers could reliably determine the triacylglycerol degradation rate for each person over the course of seven days.

“Most compounds in fingerprints can be measured using this technique,” said Lee. “But we focused on triacylglycerols as they are highly abundant and much more reliably measured than others.” The rate of degradation differed according to each individual, and more testing needs to be done using the MALDI-MS to account for multiple variables such as environmental factors and experimental conditions. 

 

Source: forensicmag.com

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More from this issue:

  1. Racism and Wrongful Convictions, by Matthew Clarke
  2. Sixth Circuit Grants Habeas Relief After Michigan Court Violates Confrontation Clause, by Dale Chappell
  3. Ninth Circuit: Mental Impairment that Prevented ‘Monitoring’ of Habeas Counsel’s Actions May Require Equitable Tolling, by Dale Chappell
  4. Tenth Circuit Vacates District Court’s Order Sealing Plea Supplement, Explaining Local Court Rule Doesn’t Abrogate Common Law Right of Access to Judicial Records, by Douglas Ankney
  5. Federal Judge Issues Order Reducing 40-Year Stacked § 924(c) Sentence Based on First Step Act Changes to Compassionate Release, by Chad Marks
  6. Latest Forensic Technology, Pattern Analysis, May Be ‘Pseudoscience’, by Michael Fortino, Ph.D
  7. SCOTUS: Jury Verdicts Must Be Unanimous to Convict on Criminal Charges, Overruling Apodaca, by Douglas Ankney
  8. ATF: What Is a Gun?, by Jayson Hawkins
  9. Michigan Supreme Court Announces that Duress May be Asserted as an Affirmative Defense to Felony Murder, Overruling Gimotty and Etheridge, by Douglas Ankney
  10. Texas Court of Criminal Appeals: Failure to Include ‘Or Others’ in Jury Instruction for Self-Defense Against Multiple Assailants Deprived Defendant of Defense, by Dale Chappell
  11. Virus Vigilantes v. Virus Violators: Shunning, Shaming, or Policing COVID-19 May not Be the Cure, by Michael Fortino, Ph.D
  12. SCOTUS: Due Process Doesn’t Require States to Adopt a Specific Test for Determining Insanity, by Douglas Ankney
  13. Fifth Circuit: Defendant Lacked Culpability in Attempting to Export Ammunition by Merely Purchasing It, by Anthony Accurso
  14. Iowa Supreme Court Vacates Guilty Plea for Lack of Evidence and Ineffective Assistance of Counsel, by David Reutter
  15. Second Circuit: Habeas Petition Not Moot Where It Attacked Inactive Original Order That Gave Rise to Current Active Order Restraining Petitioner’s Liberty, by Douglas Ankney
  16. Federal District Court Finds ‘Confusion’ Over Law in State Court Excused Late Filing of § 2255 Motion, by Dale Chappell
  17. Seventh Circuit Reiterates IAC Requires Only ‘Reasonable Probability,’ Not ‘More Likely Than Not,’ of Different Outcome, by Dale Chappell
  18. Divide and Conquer: New Algorithm Examines Crime-Scene Bullets Segment by Segment
  19. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Files Statement on Court’s Refusal to Hear Habeas Case, Despite Deep Circuit Split, by Dale Chappell
  20. SCOTUS: Knowledge that Driver’s License of Vehicle’s Registered Owner Was Revoked Provides Reasonable Suspicion to Initiate Traffic Stop, by Douglas Ankney
  21. Don’t Allow Government to Abuse Emergency Powers After COVID-19 Threat Subsides, by Douglas Ankney
  22. Notorious Louisiana Prosecutor Fired for Misconduct Technicality, by Edward Lyon
  23. Illinois Supreme Court: Failing to Stipulate Felon Status Allowing Jury to Hear About Murder Conviction Constitutes IAC, by Anthony Accurso
  24. 10th Circuit: Evidence Insufficient to Support Conviction for Attempting to Kill Witness, by Douglas Ankney
  25. $369,000 Settlement in Police Raid of Journalist’s Home and Office
  26. Delaware Supreme Court Clarifies Meaning of ‘Mixture’ as Used in State’s Controlled Substances Act, by Douglas Ankney
  27. Colorado Supreme Court: Defendant Has No Duty to Bring Himself to Trial, by Douglas Ankney
  28. Fifth Circuit Finds IAC for Failure to Object to Court’s Jury Instructions that Constructively Amended Indictment by Lowering Government’s Burden of Proof, by Dale Chappell
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  32. FBI’s Long History of Squelching Political Dissent Under the Guise of National Security, by Jayson Hawkins
  33. No Consequences for Prosecutors’ Bad Behavior, by Jayson Hawkins
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  35. Nevada Supreme Court Rules Bail Determination Requires Due Process and Severs Unconstitutional Language from Bail Statute, by Douglas Ankney
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  38. California Court of Appeal: Unoccupied Running Vehicle Doesn’t Justify Warrantless Search of Residence, by Douglas Ankney
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  40. Interpreting Emojis as Court Evidence, by Anthony Accurso
  41. LAPD Officers Accused of Entering Names of Innocent People Into Gang Database, by Douglas Ankney
  42. Massachusetts Supreme Judicial Court Clarifies Standards for Exit Order and Patfrisk, by Anthony Accurso
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  44. A Mass Purge of Misconduct Records by Phoenix, Arizona Police, by Bill Barton
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  46. How Old Is That Fingerprint?, by Douglas Ankney
  47. News in Brief

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