The role of psychopathy and sexuality in a female serial killer

The case of Aileen Wuornos, executed in Florida for the serial killing of seven men, is studied to determine her degree of psychopathy and the presence or absence of sexuality or sexual sadism as a motivation or gratification for her crimes. The authors, one of whom evaluated the subject shortly before her death, determined that she evidenced a psychopathic personality (PCL-R score 32). She also met DSM-IV-TR criteria for Antisocial Personality Disorder and Borderline Personality Disorder. While her killings ostensibly were carried out during routine acts of prostitution, there was ambiguous evidence that her crimes were sexually motivated or gratifying. Her articulated motivation was robbery and elimination of the witness/victim. After carefully considering all available data, the authors concluded there was no convincing evidence of sexual sadism in either her personal history or her method of committing serial murder, and it remains unclear whether sexual gratification was to some degree a motivating factor in her commission of these offenses. The confluence of early childhood attachment disruptions, severe psychopathy, other personality disorder pathology, and a traumagenic abuse history likely contributed to her having serially murdered seven victims.     

Utilizing the urinary 5-HTOL/5-HIAA ratio to determine ethanol origin in civil aviation accident victims

Specimens from fatal aviation accident victims are submitted to the FAA Civil Aerospace Medical Institute for toxicological analysis. During toxicological evaluations, ethanol analysis is performed on all cases. Care must be taken when interpreting a positive ethanol result due to the potential for postmortem ethanol formation. Several indicators of postmortem ethanol formation exist; however, none are completely reliable. The consumption of ethanol has been shown to alter the concentration of two major serotonin metabolites, 5-hydroxytryptophol (5-HTOL) and 5-hydroxyindole-3-acetic acid (5-HIAA). While the 5-HTOL/5-HIAA ratio is normally very low, previous studies using living subjects have demonstrated that the urinary 5-HTOL/5-HIAA ratio is significantly elevated for 11-19 h after acute ethanol ingestion. Recently, our laboratory developed and validated an analytical method for the simultaneous determination of both 5-HTOL and 5-HIAA in forensic urine samples using a simple liquid/liquid extraction and LC/MS/MS and LC/MS/MS/MS. In this previous work a 15 pmol/nmol serotonin metabolite ratio cutoff was established in postmortem urine, below which it could be conclusively determined that no recent antemortem ethanol consumption had occurred. In the current study this newly validated analytical method was applied to five ethanol-positive aviation fatalities where the origin of the ethanol present could not previously be conclusively determined. In four of the five cases examined the detected ethanol was demonstrated to be present due to postmortem microbial formation, and not consumption, even though some indication of ethanol consumption may have been present.     

A test of sex determination from measurements of chest radiographs

Sexually dimorphic distinctions within the human thoracic area may include morphological as well as metric differences in the sternum and 4th rib. This research assesses the validity of a set of previously published measurements from chest radiographs and their use in contemporary forensic situations. The chest plates from 130 adult individuals of a known sample undergoing medico-legal post-mortem examination were examined at autopsy. Thoracic radiographs were taken using a Faxitron cabinet X-ray machine at 40 kV using Kodak Diagnostic Film Ready Pack X-Omat TL. Measurements were taken to the nearest millimetre using a sliding calliper. Logistic regression analysis of measurements of the sternum and 4th rib was undertaken to determine sex. Using 4th rib width and sternal area, sex was predicted at an accuracy of 95.8% for males and 90.3% for females.     

Assessing age-related morphology of the pubic symphysis from digital images versus direct observation

The increasingly global role of a forensic anthropologist necessitates a proper means for archiving evidence for re-examination. Large quantities of evidence can be stored and be made readily accessible through digital imaging. This study focuses on age assessment from digital photographs for personal identity reconstructions. A comparison of 52 Suchey-Brooks scores assigned to digital images and actual bone revealed that age assessment from digital images can be completed with accuracy. Coefficients of concordance imply that there significant agreement between osteological assessment of aging criteria from digital images and direct observation-greater than random change alone (p < 0.05). However, assessments from images should be approached with caution since there are inherent limitations of the naked eye in identifying morphological changes in certain skeletal features, especially where older adults are concerned. Although there is no replacement for a hands-on physical assessment, a digital archive may facilitate the global needs of the forensic anthropologist.     

How long after waterproofing a deck can you still isolate an ignitable liquid?

Dried, treated wood was sealed with Thompson's WaterSeal "Clear Multi-Surface Waterproofer" and exposed to outdoor, summer conditions. Sections of the sealed wood were then periodically tested and analyzed in accordance with ASTM methods. The WaterSeal contained a medium petroleum distillate (MPD) as a solvent for a wax. The treated lumber contained a background of aldehydes that could mimic a dearomatized MPD if not carefully investigated by the analyst. The MPD of the WaterSeal was detectable 14 days, but not 27 days after application with exposure to relatively hot, dry and sunny weather conditions. The test was repeated with the MPD detectable 16 days, but not 20 days after application with exposure to cooler and wetter weather conditions. The testing demonstrates the need for a thorough and complete investigation by the fire investigator and the submission of comparison samples to the laboratory.     

Development and evaluation of a standard method for the quantitative determination of elements in float glass samples by LA-ICP-MS

Forensic analysis of glass samples was performed in different laboratories within the NITE-CRIME (Natural Isotopes and Trace Elements in Criminalistics and Environmental Forensics) European Network, using a variety of Laser Ablation Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS) systems. The main objective of the interlaboratory tests was to cross-validate the different combinations of laser ablation systems with different ICP-MS instruments. A first study using widely available samples, such as the NIST SRM 610 and NIST SRM 612 reference glasses, led to deviations in the determined concentrations for trace elements amongst the laboratories up to 60%. Extensive discussion among the laboratories and the production of new glass reference standards (FGS 1 and FGS 2) established an improved analytical protocol, which was tested on a well-characterized float glass sample (FG 10-1 from the BKA Wiesbaden collection). Subsequently, interlaboratory tests produced improved results for nearly all elements with a deviation of < 10%, demonstrating that LA-ICP-MS can deliver absolute quantitative measurements on major, minor and trace elements in float glass samples for forensic and other purposes.     

You have the right not to have a hearing: an evaluation of the impact of fully advising civilly committed patients on their rights

There have long been calls for the reduction of coercion in treating civilly committed psychiatric patients. The present study assessed whether a minor procedural change intended to reduce the adversarial nature of the treatment process would have a positive impact. Results suggested that the change in procedure had a positive effect for the most direct outcome variables but results were more mixed for the indirect outcome variables. Nonetheless, overall indications were that the change of procedure affected patient outcome.     

Some limitations of the groves-ledyard optimal mechanism

Public Choice - The tax rule suggested by Groves and Ledyard is certainly an ingenious one, although there is no indication as to how one might fall upon that specific scheme. If offers Pareto...