Bite Mark Analysis in Foodstuffs and Inanimate Objects and the Underlying Proofs for Validity and Judicial Acceptance |
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| Authors: | Fernando Rivera‐Mendoza DDS MSc Stella Martín‐de‐las‐Heras BDS MD PhD Pablo Navarro‐Cáceres MSc Gabriel M Fonseca DDS PhD |
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| Institution: | 1. Faculty of Dentistry, Magister Program in Dentistry, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile;2. Faculty of Dentistry, Laboratory of Forensic Dentistry, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile;3. Department of Forensic Medicine and Forensic Odontology, University of Granada, Granada, Spain;4. Faculty of Dentistry, CICO Research Centre in Dental Sciences, Universidad de La Frontera, Temuco, Chile |
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| Abstract: | Even though one of the first bite mark cases was Doyle v. State in 1954 (a bitten cheese case), the research has focused on bite marks inflicted in human skin. As published Papers, Case Reports, or Technical Notes can constitute precedents which are relied upon in making the legal arguments and a considerable amount of case law exists in this area, we present a systematic review on bite mark analysis in foodstuffs and inanimate objects and their underlying proofs for validity and judicial acceptance according to Daubert rulings. Results showed that there is vulnerability in these procedures, and it is essential to demand for focus scrutiny on the known error rates when such evidence is presented in trials. These kinds of bite marks are well documented; however, there has been little research in this field knowing that the protocols of analysis and comparison are the responsibility of the forensic odontologists. |
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| Keywords: | forensic science forensic odontology bite marks identification foodstuffs Daubert rulings |
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