2015 Joint Conference
for the
MD Societies of Professional Engineers & Surveyors
Collision Technologies LLC 2015
Forensic Applications of 3D Laser Scanning
Collision Technologies LLC
Quick Introduction
Retired MD State Police 22+ yrs. of service
Crash Reconstruction Program - 24 yrs.
Forensic Crash & Crime Scene Mapping
Electronic Total Stations – 20 yrs.
3D Laser Scanners – 5 yrs.
Collision Technologies since 1998
Consulting Expert Crash Reconstruction
Sales & Training Forensic Mapping
Systems
Collision Technologies LLC
Scanning Operations
NOTHING SUPERSEDES
FUNDATMENTAL CRIME
SCENE INVESTIGATIVE
ACTIONS
Court Admittance
FARO and Collision Technologies LLC
The integrity of any evidence rests
on the credibility of the person
presenting it, not only on the
technology or tool used to capture,
collect or preserve it.
Court Admittance
DiCarlo Precision Instrument and Collision Technologies LLC
Under Daubert (based on Rule 702 of the FRE), the trial judge must consider the following:
1.factors in determining admissibility of the science involved: Whether the evidence can be (and has been) tested,
2.Whether the theory or technique has been subjected to peer review and publication
3.Whether the technique has a known or potential rate of error
4.Whether there has been a particular degree of acceptancewithin the relevant scientific community.
Collision Technologies LLC
3D Laser Scanning is featured in both
Forensic and Survey industry journals
Peer Review & Tested
Collision Technologies LLC (Nov. 2013)
Remember that the Judge is the Gatekeeper of all Evidence
Q- Daubert/Frye Standards - does this technology meet their
requirements?
A- Since we are in Maryland, our state is held to the Frye-Reed
standard, not the Daubert standard commonly adhered to in federal
court. How both standards relate to 3D laser scanning in general is a
popular question.
The standard relates to the preparation and practice of collecting
evidence and processing the results using expert care from suitable
training in that discipline to be able to give accurate and reliable
testimony based on scientific facts with traceability.
Collision Technologies LLC a(Nov. 2013)
Remember that the Judge is the Gatekeeper of all Evidence
The Frye standard, Frye test, or general acceptance test is a test to determine the admissibility of scientific
evidence. It provides that expert opinion based on a scientific technique is admissible only where the technique is
generally accepted as reliable in the relevant scientific community. In Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals,
509 U.S. 579 (1993), the Supreme Court held that the Federal Rules of Evidence superseded Frye as the
standard for admissibility of expert evidence in federal courts.[1] Some states, however, still adhere to the Frye
standard.
To meet the Frye standard, scientific evidence presented to the court
must be interpreted by the court as "generally accepted" by a meaningful
segment of the associated scientific community. This applies to
procedures, principles or techniques that may be presented in the
proceedings of a court case.
In practical application of this standard, those who were proponents of a
widely disputed scientific issue had to provide a number of experts to
speak to the validity of the science behind the issue in question.
Novel techniques, placed under the scrutiny of this standard forced
courts to examine papers, books and judicial precedents on the subject
at hand to make determinations as to the reliability and "general
acceptance.“
Collision Technologies LLC a(Nov. 2013)
Remember that the Judge is the Gatekeeper of all Evidence
To meet the Frye standard, scientific evidence presented to the court
must be interpreted by the court as "generally accepted" by a meaningful
segment of the associated scientific community. This applies to
procedures, principles or techniques that may be presented in the
proceedings of a court case.
In practical application of this standard, those who were proponents of a
widely disputed scientific issue had to provide a number of experts to
speak to the validity of the science behind the issue in question.
Novel techniques, placed under the scrutiny of this standard forced
courts to examine papers, books and judicial precedents on the subject
at hand to make determinations as to the reliability and "general
acceptance."
Collision Technologies LLC
Accuracy Confirmation
Every mapping Job / Scan Location must
contain an object who’s length is known, and
that object’s length must be validated within the
software (SCENE) before any measurements
are used. This protocol is a well accepted best
practice within the law enforcement community.
This protocol is known as a “Accuracy
Confirmation” or a “Reference Measurement
Test”
Collision Technologies LLC
Accuracy Confirmation
The easiest way to accomplish this is by placing a 4-
Foot Carpenters Level within the scanning field of view
in each scan. Works well for Indoor and Outdoor
Scenes.
Another option better suited for Indoor Scenes/Scans is
the placement of two Checkerboard Targets on the same
plane/wall. Known distance, measured by steel tape,
keep distance short (25 Feet), on a flat surface.
Collision Technologies LLC (Nov. 2013)
1. Keep a written record / data base of your use of the scanner
i. Date & Time
ii. Case Number
iii. Type of Case: M/V Crash, Homicide / Suicide, Industrial Accident,
Train Crash, Aircraft Crash….
iv. Number of Scans
v. Scan data used in trial
Remember that the Judge is the
Gatekeeper of all Evidence
Collision Technologies LLC
Electronic Data
Must archive all electronic scan data
Rules of Evidence
Chain of Custody
Collision Technologies LLC
Crime Scene - Scanning
By allowing investigators to capture crime scenes in 3D, Laser Scanners provide an
exact record of the entire scene at the touch of a button and permits the site to be
returned to normal use a short time later.
With 3D documentation the crime scene reconstruction can be visited multiple times to
verify witness testimony or evaluate hypotheses. Forensic scientists can accurately
analyze line of sight, blood spatter, and bullet trajectories to complement other
techniques such as offender’s height estimation from video surveillance.
Crime Scene (Suicide) - Measurements
Collision Technologies LLC
Crime Scene (Suicide) - Measurements
FARO and Collision Technologies LLC
Fire & Arson Investigation – Officer Safety
Pre-Plans Incident Scenes
Point Cloud Data
DiCarlo Precision Instrument and Collision Technologies LLC