The Utilization of Tachymetry in Forensic Medicine

Overview

Introduction:
Tachymetry is a geodetic method enabling to measure angles and distances. The aim of the work was to demonstrate alternatives of its utilization in daily forensic medicine practice. The work is dealing with confusing cases of gunshot injuries. It is impossible to determine the trajectory of the projectile, the sequence of gunshots, to identify shooting person etc. in these cases only on the base of autopsy findings and investigated circumstances. In these cases the investigation experiments on the crime scene in collaboration with the land surveyors were realized. The work presents two case reports.

Methods:
For our measurements the electronic tachymeter TOPCON 211D was used. These were performed by the means of polar method in local coordinate system with relative heights. In the first case the position of victim was simulated by a figurant according to testimonies of witnesses and the accused. The second case dealed with suicide.

Results:
In the first case there were two gunshots. The trajectory of the first gunshot was determined and the projectile was found. Hereby the most authentic testimony could be estimated. Also high grade probability of the relative position of the victim and the accused was figured out. In the case of suicide also the projectile was found and the position of the victim in the time of gunshot was determined.

Conclusion:
In the both case reports demonstrated the projectiles were not found by ballistics expert investigations. All questions of expert opinions could be answered only with the help of tachymetry. The advantage of this method is its good regional availability even at places far from specialized criminal investigation workplaces.

Key words:
tachymetry, gunshot injury, forensic medicine, ballistic investigation, expert opinion, regional availability of land surveyors