So What Did Margie Say About.....NCIS: Gut Check

The 11/19/13 NCIS episode titled " Gut Check" focused heavily on security. 

Gated parking lots, locked doors, metal detectors, and bullet proof or resistant glassed in areas haven't stopped persons who are intent on entering and creating havoc.

From watching recent news events, it would seem that most of the damage done lately is internal and not from outside sources.

Perhaps some of the $$ spent on security should be channeled toward sensitivity training and good mental health evaluations and programs.

I'm just saying....

So What Did Margie Say About....NCIS: Damned if You Do

The 9/17/13 repeat NCIS episode titled "Damned if You Do" presented quite the dilemma to folks who believe that answers are all in black and white.

Some of the quotes from tonight's episode include:
"good people making bad decisions", "ruin a good pair of shoes to do what's right", "can't be held responsible for what you don't know", "take responsibility for actions", and "put all the secrets behind us and the honest man comes out on top".

I am reminded of the song Blurred Lines.  You know what you have been taught and you know what you believe in but does the world's rules always follow the true and narrow?  Do you at times have to make decisions that you don't like but know that in the long run it may be the best and most beneficial for the circumstances?

Anyone who is a position of authority or who has great responsibility knows that their career path is not paved in gold but often the pathway is full of ruts and mud.  You may be able to clean your shoes but does the smell ever really go away?  Is it true that the end justifies the means?

A lot to think about.  A lot to digest.  A lot to decide where you stand.

So What Did Margie Say About...NCIS: Double Blind

The 9/10/13 NCIS repeat episode titled "Double Blind" incorporated a fire investigation within the episode in which the fire began in a fuse box.

 

In a fire investigation the investigator wants to rule out the cause being accidental or an act of God before they call it Arson - an intentionally set fire.

 

An act of God would include a lightning strike which can often cause a fire.

 

An electrical fire can be caused by a short in a fuse box or an overloaded outlet.

 

An accidental fire may be as a result of a burning candle overturned, someone falling asleep and dropping a burning cigarette, a forgotten pan left on a stove top, and/or a heater too close to combustible materials.

 

To show Arson one would look for multiple sources of origin, pour patterns, or severe burning in an area not containing a lot of natural combustible materials.  Of course there are things which can indicate these indicators but are misleading.  For instance, if the foam in a sofa melts and the resulting liquid "pours" across the floor, it will simulate an accelerant pour pattern but is actually an natural occurrence due to the fire and heat.

 

The fire triangle states that oxygen, heat, and fuel are all necessary for sustained fire.  Without any one of these the fire cannot exist.  To determine if the fire was 'assisted' in its intensity or its creation is the job of the fire investigator.

 

This is just the tip of the iceberg to fire investigation.  I apologize for using this analogy (ice) when dealing with such a HOT topic.

So What Does Margie Say About....NCIS: Shiva

The repeat NCIS episode on 8/20/13 titled "Shiva" clearly demonstrates why any investigator or supervisor too close to the crime should not be involved in any capacity with the investigation. 

 

Oftentimes the agency itself is eliminated from being the lead agency in the investigation.  In the Commonwealth of Virginia, a crime involving someone related to or part of a local law enforcement agency is usually handled by the Virginia State Police.

 

Even if the local agency investigator could remove his emotions from the circumstances, which is almost humanly impossible, the "smell test" won't be passed at court time.  Any defense attorney will go full tilt to show the jury how prejudiced and emotional the investigator is due to the ties to the victim.  The tie may be a direct relationship or just the result of working in the same agency as someone related to the victim.

 

Any investigator needs to keep an open mind and a level emotion.  I dare say that anyone with human empathy and compassion could not do this if the situation is just too close to home.

 

An overzealous investigator or supervisor is a detriment to a good outcome regardless of how pure the intentions are.

 

It is never a bad thing to ask for assistance, especially when the result is the ultimate truth.

The 7/30/13 NCIS repeat episode titled "Shell Shock (Part 2)" focused on Post Traumatic Stress (PTS) in reference to a soldier back from war.

 

Obviously the effects of killing, death, violence, evil, meanness, and darkness are escalated when it comes to war but I dare say that there are varying degrees of PTS associated with the death and destruction seen at crime scenes.

 

Speaking of darkness, has anyone noticed how dark they keep the NCIS set??  The office, the interrogation rooms, hotel rooms, and the autopsy room are extremely dark.  I know that the federal budget is tight but goodness, you'd think they could afford to pay the light bill.

 

Good lighting is necessary, especially in the autopsy room.  Outside of keeping the stainless steel tables clean and free of potential contamination, great lighting is probably the next important aspect in the environment that assists the Medical Examiner in their job.  Many even have additional lighting instruments which help them when examining small things or when viewing up close and personal in an area of interest.

 

I find it absurd that the areas of work which demand attention to detail and meticulous observation are kept so dim.

 

I say if these producers want to 'illuminate' us in the ways of forensics that they start with the light bulb! 

So What Did Margie Say About...NCIS and CSI this week

The 7/17/13 repeat episode of CSI: Crime Scene Investigation titled "Exile" had a original blog entry posted on 2/13/13.  The last post discussed autopsies.

 

This time I would like to make mention of the importance of elemental analysis.  The black streaks of oily residue test results turned out to be motor oil.  This in combination with the results of the analysis of the fragment of metal embedded in Marta's heel led the investigators to the Auto Body Shop where they located the crime scene of the homicidal beating.

 

The steps taken in a criminal investigation are like piecing together a puzzle.  Every little piece helps to make the overall picture.  One analysis leads to a scene or a victim or a suspect.  This is the 'triangle' in criminal investigation.  The best outcome ties all three together and links them.

 

On another note, I cringed when they picked up the burlap sack fiber in the hotel room where Estevan was killed.  Not that it was an improper technique to collect the fiber but it wasn't photographed in its' original position under the corner of the desk but rather "flying in the air" in the grip of the tweezers.  It is proper crime scene technology to bring your packaging material to the evidence rather than creating more travel or movement which creates the possibility of loss or damage.  And, of course, the tweezers must be cleaned prior to collecting any other piece of evidence.

The 7/16/13 repeat episode of NCIS titled 'Phoenix' begins with an exhumation of a body that had been buried for 12 years.

 

The body was in really good condition with only a little mold as a tell tale sign that it had been buried.  It was even in good enough condition that they could run toxicological tests on the liver.

 

The condition of a body in an exhumation relies on the tightness of the seals of the coffin. 

 

I have seen bodies that have been buried for over a decade, not unlike the one portrayed in tonight's episode, that look like they have only been buried for a short time.  On the flip side, I have seen bodies that were in terrible shape and some floating in excess water after only having been buried for a year or two.

 

The difference was the condition of the casket seals.  Extra moisture that seeps in does not do a body good.  I have seen coffins that have been washed up after a flood but upon opening the casket, the bodies were able to be identified by visual because of their good condition.

 

This is why a lot of suspects prefer cremation over burial to destroy potential evidence.  In reality all they would need to do is buy an inexpensive casket and have their "loved ones" buried in a flood zone. 

So What Did Margie Say About: NCIS: Recovery

There are so many psychological aspects to the 7/2/13 repeat NCIS episode titled "Recovery": why is it so imperative for investigators to have psychological evaluations?; how detrimental are romantic relationships with co-workers?; what are the ramifications of adoption?; and how do personal issues influence stress and sleep deprivation?. 

 

However, let's stick with physical evidence - the bullet found in the front seat of the vehicle.  The mold spores helped to establish that the murder weapon was an older one.  The striations on the bullet were not really stressed in this episode but Abby did use the number of lands and grooves and the twist to determine the possibilities of the weapon type used.

 

When a weapon is made the barrel is drilled and a particular number of depressions are created and in either a right hand or left hand twist.  The number of "lands and grooves" along with the twist help the investigator in narrowing down how manufacturers bore their particular barrels and therefore a list of potential brands of weapons are made available.

 

The markings created when the barrel is tooled create the striations on the soft lead of the bullet as it travels through the barrel once the gun is fired.  But first one needs the suspected weapon to actually make the comparison between the striations on the bullet from the scene or the body and that of a bullet fired from the suspected weapon.

 

This is the one time that it's good to have 'an interesting new twist' in the case investigation.

So What Did Margie Say About...NCIS: Gone

Tonight, 6/11/13, I watched a repeat episode of NCIS titled "Gone".  It dealt with very little physical evidence. 

 

Although there was some trace that proved to be helpful.  The Medical Examiner 'Ducky' located some black paint that was soluble in water which indicated that the abductors had used a temporary disguise for the van used in the abduction.

 

Later there were swabs from one of the deceased abductors that identified a resin which lead to the bowling alley.

 

Most of this episode focused on the emotional side of crime scene investigation: How it is more difficult to deal emotionally with crimes involving children; how difficult it is to lose a relative ; how different people deal with trauma in different ways; how hard it is for military families when one is deployed; among other heart felt issues.

 

I just wish that everyone had access to a farting hippopotamus.  If that doesn't bring a smile to your face, what will?

 

Hopefully next week's episode will have laboratory genius Abby dealing with a ton of physical evidence.  Gosh, I really need to squeeze that hippo