George Burch Trial Day 5 Part 1 Controlled Substance Analyst Madison Kniskern Testifies | Summary and Q&A

TL;DR

Forensic scientist testifies about her role in examining a vehicle for blood evidence in a crime investigation.

Key Insights

• 🧑‍🔬 The forensic scientist's primary duty is to analyze controlled substances and process crime scenes.
• 🧑‍🔬 In this case, the scientist examined a vehicle for blood evidence but found none.
• 🕵️ Luminol and phenolphthalein tests were used to detect the presence of blood.
• ❓ Various evidence, including swabs, photographs, and statements, were collected throughout the investigation.

Transcript

but anyway we're ready to proceed right away today and continue with the state's case again are you ready to go Thank You mrs. Kearney just adjust the mic to wherever you're comfortable and I'm gonna ask you if I may can you give us a outline of your educational degrees in your experience I have a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry from Carrol... Read More

Questions & Answers

Q: What is the role of a controlled substance analyst?

A controlled substance analyst analyzes substances submitted to the lab for the presence of controlled substances.

Q: How does luminol work in detecting blood?

Luminol reacts with blood and produces a blue glow that can be visually seen and photographed. It is a presumptive test for blood, indicating its presence.

Q: Why did they swab the exterior and interior door handles?

Swabbing the door handles was done to collect DNA evidence, not specifically for blood analysis.

Q: Were any items found to have blood evidence?

No, during the examination, no items tested positive for the presence of blood.

Summary & Key Takeaways

• The forensic scientist has a Bachelor of Science degree in chemistry and works as a controlled substance analyst and crime scene response team leader.

• She has received specific training in analyzing controlled substances and processing crime scenes.

• In this case, she examined a vehicle for the presence of blood using phenolphthalein and luminol tests.

• No blood evidence was found in the vehicle, and other evidence collected did not indicate the presence of blood.