Chapter
Foreword by Tom A. Ranker
Foreword by Haskell M. Pitluck
1 - Introduction to Forensic Plant Science
1. INTRODUCTION TO PLANTS
1.2.1 A Unique Plant Constituent: Cellulose and the Cell Wall
2. THE EARLY HISTORY OF PLANT SCIENCE
2.1 Pharmacology and Toxicology of Plants
3.1 Some Specific Poisons of Plant Origins
3.1.1.3 THE TROPANE ALKALOIDS
3.1.2.3 SOLANINE, A GLYCOALKALOID
3.1.3.1 DIGOXIN, A CARDIAC GLYCOSIDE
3.1.3.2 CYANOGENIC GLYCOSIDES
3.1.4 Toxic Plant Lectins
3.1.5 Dicoumarol and Anticoagulants
4. ILLEGAL DRUGS OF PLANT ORIGINS
5. TWENTIETH-CENTURY FORENSIC PLANT SCIENCE
6. OUR INTRODUCTION TO FORENSIC PLANT SCIENCE
2 - Suitability of Forensic Plant Science Evidence for Courtroom Presentations
1. THE CURRENT STATE OF FORENSIC SCIENCE IN THE USA
1.1 Public Perception Problems: The “Crime Scene Investigation Effect”
1.2 Scientific Problems with Modern Forensic Science
2. COURT DECISIONS CONCERNING PRESENTATION
OF SCIENTIFIC EVIDENCE AND EXPERT OPINION
2.1 What Criteria Determine Validity?
2.2 Objectivity in Forensic Analyses Is of Paramount Importance
2.4 How Is the Forensic Community Responding?
3. HOW DOES DAUBERT RELATE TO FORENSIC PLANT SCIENCE
3 - Sources for Forensic Plant Science Evidence
2.1 Binomial Nomenclature
2.2 Collection Methods for Taxonomic Evidence
4. GENETIC ANALYSES: USE OF DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID
4.3 Analysis of DNA as a Forensic Tool
4.5 What Is the Future for Uses of Plant DNA
4 - Forensic Plant Anatomy
1.2 Flowering Plant Cell Types
1.2.1 Tissue System 1: The Dermal System
1.2.2 Tissue System 2: Parenchyma, Collenchyma, and Sclerenchyma3
1.2.3 Tissue System 3: Vascular Tissue
2. THE HUMAN DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
2.1 Overview of Human Digestion and the Digestive Tract
2.2 Experiments on Gastric Evacuation
3. PLANT CELLS AND TIME OF DEATH
4. COLLECTION AND SAMPLING METHODS FOR DIGESTIVE TRACT MATERIALS
4.1 Collection of Samples
4.1.1 Gastric and Intestinal Material
4.1.2 Collection of Vomitus or Fecal Matter
5. PROCESSING OF FORENSIC SAMPLES USING PLANT ANATOMY
5.1 Processing of Stomach or Intestinal Samples
5.2 Preparation of Known Plants for Identification
5.2.1 Developing a Reference Collection
5.3 Identification and Documentation of Known Plants and GI Tract Contents
5.4 Processing of a Fecal Sample
5.5 Processing Dried Fecal or Vomitus Material Adhering to Clothing
6. THE ROLE OF STATISTICS IN EVALUATING PLANT CELLS IN DIGESTIVE CONTENTS
5 - Cases Using Evidence from Plant Anatomy
1. FORENSIC PLANT ANATOMY INVOLVING DETERMINATION OF TIME OF DEATH
1.1 The Boyfriend Didn’t Do It
1.3 Lizzie Borden Style Pizza
1.4 Death of a Tiny Beauty Queen
1.5 Institutional Meals Can Help Fix Time of Death
1.6 Abusive Husband Gets the Axe
1.7 Sometimes Plant-Derived Food Can Be Identified
2. FORENSIC PLANT ANATOMY AND AGING GRAVESITES
2.1 The Cher Elder Case: Getting to the Root of the Crime
3. CASES INVOLVING FECAL MATERIAL
3.1 A Rape-Homicide Case Involving “Poo Prints”
3.2 The Church “Poor Box” Robbery
3.3 A Charge of Child Abuse
3.4 Threat of Botanical Fecal Analysis Yields a Confession
6 - Forensic Plant Taxonomy
1. PLANT TAXONOMY FIELDWORK
1.1 Materials Needed for Taxonomic Fieldwork
1.5 A Last Word of Caution
Aids for Plant Identification
Some General Floras and Keys to Identify Plants
Some General Floras and Keys to Identify Plants
1. PLANTS CONTAINING “RECREATIONAL” DRUGS
2. “POISONED PEN” LETTERS
3. NOTHING LIKE A SHORT DRIVE AT THE GOLF COURSE
1. AN OVERVIEW OF ECOLOGY FOR THE FORENSIC SCIENTIST
1.1 Ecological Landscapes
1.2.1 Adjudication of Property Disputes through Ecological Studies
1.2.2 Locating a Clandestine Grave Using Ecological Tools
2. PROCEDURES AND RESOURCES USEFUL FOR FORENSIC
PLANT ECOLOGY
2.1 Collection, Preservation, and Identification of Ecological Evidence
2.1.1 Preservation of Terrestrial Plants
2.1.2 Preservation of Algae
2.2.2 Climate and Weather Data Sources
3. SOURCES OF ECOLOGICAL PLANT SCIENTISTS
North America Flora Guide
Local Flora Guide Examples (e.g., Rocky Mountainregion)
9 - Forensic Plant Ecology Cases
1. USES OF FORENSIC PLANT ECOLOGY CONNECTING SUSPECTS TO CRIME SCENES USING PLANT FRAGMENTS
1.1 Death of an Abused Mother
1.2 Gang-Related Abduction and Sexual Assault of a College Girl
1.3 “Her Vehicle Had Never Been in the Mountains”
2. USES OF FORENSIC PLANT ECOLOGY IN THE LOCATION
OF CLANDESTINE GRAVES
2.1 The Michelle Wallace Case: A Spruce Needle Was the Key to Location
3. OTHER USES FOR FORENSIC PLANT ECOLOGY
3.1 Uprooted Plants Can Tell Time
3.2 Phenological Indications: Plant Patterns in Central Florida
3.3 A Case in Progress: Open Investigation
10 - Additional Approaches in Forensic Plant Science
1.1 Biological Features of Pollen
1.3 Collection and Processing of Pollen Samples
1.4 Identification of Pollen
1.5 Cases Involving Forensic Palynology
1.5.1 The Danube Case: Fossil Pollen Waltzes a Suspect into Jail
1.5.3 I Didn’t Go Where My Motorcycle Was Found
1.5.4 Moving a Mass Grave Takes Pollen Evidence with It
2.1 Collection and Preparation of Diatoms from Bodies of Water
2.2 Cases Involving Forensic Diatomology
2.2.1 Determination of Deaths due to Drowning
2.2.2 Diatoms in an Infant’s Stomach Draw Out a Confession
2.2.3 A New England Misadventure
11 - Summation and a Look to the Future
1. A BRIEF SUMMARY OF FORENSIC PLANT SCIENCE APPROACHES
1.2.1 Use of DNA for Species Identification
1.2.1.1 DNA AND THE IDENTIFICATION OF INDIVIDUAL PLANTS
1.2.1.2 IDENTIFICATION OF GENETICALLY MODIFIED ORGANISMS
2. HOW TO BECOME A FORENSIC BOTANIST
2.1 Scientific and Botanical Training
2.2 Participation in Professional Forensic Organizations
2.3 Importance of Teamwork in Performing Forensic Analyses
3. FORENSIC BOTANY IN THE COURTROOM
3.1 Preparation for Testifying in the Courtroom
3.2 Events in the Courtroom
3.3 Deterrents for Academic Plant Scientists to Participate in Legal Investigations
3.3.1 Academic Work Loads
3.3.2 Concerns about the Act of Testifying in Court
3.3.3 Concerns about Potential Retaliation
3.3.4 Deciding whether or Not to Take a Case
4. FORENSIC BOTANY IN THE TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY
4.1 Code of Scientific Responsibility: A Professional Code for Forensic Scientists
4.2 The NCFS Recommendations
4.2.1 A Code of Professional Responsibility
4.2.2 Pretrial Discovery Recommendations
4.2.3 A Proposed National Training Facility
5. ESTABLISHMENT OF FORENSIC BOTANY OR FORENSIC PLANT SCIENCE AS A SUBDISCIPLINE WITHIN THE FORENSIC SCIENCES AND BOTANICAL SCIE...
5.1 The Need to Establish a Forensic Plant Science Organization
I - Materials Needed for Plant Anatomy Analyses
II - Techniques for Slide Preparation to Examine Gastrointestinal Specimens or Fresh/Frozen/Cooked Food Samples with the Compound Light Microscope
1. PROCEDURE FOR PREPARING GASTROINTESTINAL SAMPLES
2. PROCEDURE FOR PREPARING WET MOUNTS
3. PROCEDURE FOR PREPARING PERMANENT MOUNTS
3.1 Preparing Permanent Slides
4. STAINING PLANT MATERIALS PRIOR TO OBSERVATION
5. STAINING PREVIOUSLY UNSTAINED FRESH MOUNTS AND CONVERTING FRESH MOUNTS TO PERMANENT SLIDES
6. EXAMINATION OF SLIDES WITH A COMPOUND MICROSCOPE
7. EXAMINATION OF MATERIALS WITH A BINOCULAR DISSECTING MICROSCOPE
III - Making Accurate Measurements with the Microscope
IV - Composition of Solutions Used in Preparation of Plant Cells for Microscopic Examination
1. POTASSIUM IODIDE–IODINE SOLUTION (LUGOL’S SOLUTION)
3. TOLUIDINE BLUE SOLUTION
5.1. Sources for Histological Clearing Agents
V - Methods for Verification of Feces and Vomitus
VI - Maceration of Wood Samples for Microscopic Examination
VII - Photographic Atlas Contents
Forensic Plant Science
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