Transcript Timeline of Forensic Science

Timeline of
Forensic Science
Michelle Hoffmann
44 BC - ITALY
1784 UK
1810 FRANCE
ANTISTIUS
Ancient Roman physician who examined the dead body of Julius
CAESAR after he was assassinated. This examination revealed that there
were 23 total stab wounds to his chest but only one had been fatal.
John Toms
In the first documented use of physical matching, John Toms was
convicted of murder in Lancaster UK due to a piece of torn newspaper
from his pocket matching that from a piece of newspaper recovered
from a pistol.
Eugene Francois VIDOCQ
Helped to establish the first detective force in Paris, France - the Sureté,
in a deal made in return for the suspension of his arrest and subsequent
jail sentence. He is considered by historians and others in law
enforcement to be the father of modern criminal investigation.
1813 BC FRANCE
1839 BC FRANCE
1840 SPAIN
Mathieu Bonaventure ORFILA
Professor of medicinal and forensic chemistry at University of Paris who is
considered to be the father of modern toxicology. He helped to
develop tests for the presence of poisons in blood.
Henry-Louis BAYARD
Developed the first reliable way to detect sperm by microscope. He
also noted the various microscopic characteristics of different papers or
other substrate fabrics.
Marie LAFARGE
Sentenced to life for the murder of her husband by arsenic poisoning in
1840. She became the first person convicted by forensic toxicological
evidence. Her guilt was largely contested by the French society due to
the questioned validity of said evidence.
1851 BC FRANCE
1937 BC GERMANY
1945 BC DENMARK
Jean Servois STAS
In 1850, after 3 months of searching, Jean Servois Stas was able to isolate
nicotine from the tissues of a murder victim by using Ether as a solvent
and help to bring the murderer to justice.
Walter SPECHT
Gernan scientist who, in 1937, developed the chemiluminescent reagent
luminol for use as a test for blood.
Frank LUNDQUIST
Developed the acid phosphatase test for semen.
1954 BC - USA
1963 BC
1983 BC - USA
R. F. BORKENSTEIN
Invented the breathalyzer for field sobriety tests.
D.A. HOPKINSON
Identified the polymorphic nature of erythrocyte acid phosphatase
(EAP).
Kary MULLIS
.Nobel prize winning biochemist who is known for his work on the
Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR). Improvements to this technique
allowed PCR to become a central technique in biochemistry and
molecular biology (Kary Mullis, 2009).
1986 BC- USA
1992 BC- USA
1993 BC - USA
People v. PESTINIKAS
The first court accepted usage of PCR-based DNA testing to confirm
differing autopsy samples to be from the same person was done by
Edward Blake. This was also the first time DNA testing had been done in
the United States.
Thomas CASKEY
Professor in the Department of Molecular and Human Genetics at Baylor
College of Medicine in Houston, TX who collaborated to publish the first
paper suggesting the use of short tandem repeats for forensic DNA
analysis. He is also a consultant to the FBI in forensic science
(Department of Molecular and Human Genetics, 2003).
Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals
Landmark case in which a U.S. federal court relaxes the FRYE standard
for admission of scientific evidence and places the role of "gatekeeper"
to the judge. It determined the standard for admitting expert testimony
in federal courts, now referred to as the Daubert Standard.
1996 BC - USA
196 USA
Paul WARE
In the first case ever using mitochondrial DNA evidence in a court, Paul
WARE is convicted of the rape and murder of a four year old girl after
mDNA profiling matches his DNA to a hair found on the body (Wendler,
2001).
References
CrimeZZZ.net. Crimeline “History of Forensic Science” history of crime. Taken From
http://crimezzz.net/forensic_history/index.htm.
Mullis, Kary. “Dr. Kary Banks Mullis.” 2009. Taken From http://www.karymullis.com.
WENDLER, RONDA . Texas Medical Center News. “The OTHER DNA”. 2001. Taken
From http://www.tmc.edu/tmcnews/04_15_01/page_01.html