NCJ Number
147268
Journal
Canadian Society of Forensic Science Volume: 26 Issue: 3 Dated: (September 1993) Pages: 103-110
Date Published
1993
Length
8 pages
Annotation
A technique is described for measuring the effect of a medium-velocity impact on the velocity of a blood spatter.
Abstract
A steel cylinder was allowed to fall freely though a hollow pipe into a pool of blood, thus creating the spatter. An infrared beam at the exit of the pipe activated two strobe lights set to fire at preselected intervals as the cylinder passed through it. The separate strobes provided a double image which was captured on film as the blood left the impact site. The distance between the two images was then measured. The photographs included a 15-centimeter rule which provided a scale for making the measurement. Both human and ovine blood were tested with no significant difference in results. Tests showed that the blood from the point of impact traveled at 5.57 m/sec., 3.59 times faster than the velocity of the impacting object. 6 figures, 2 tables