Spring Break
Forensic scientist uses blood to solve crime
Son Hoang
Issue date: 2/1/05 Section: News
"I do a lot of things that are common sense, but I need people to do them," he said.
He told another story in which he used a number of female volunteers with varying hair lengths. He drenched their hair in human blood to see if he could recreate a blood spatter pattern similar to one created in the beating of a woman in Oregon.
MacDonell said, "I can produce patterns of blood that can fool anyone."
Throughout his presentation, MacDonell kept the mood light with humor despite the sometimes gruesome subject matter.
While testifying in a drunk-driving case, the judge declared MacDonell to be an expert in yet another field. "I am probably the only court-certified expert on beer drinking. I so wish it had been scotch," MacDonell said.
MacDonell jokingly left the audience this piece of advice to avoid blood spatter on their clothing, "Kill someone in the nude, then take a shower, then get dressed and then call the police. In that order, that's the way I would do it."
He told another story in which he used a number of female volunteers with varying hair lengths. He drenched their hair in human blood to see if he could recreate a blood spatter pattern similar to one created in the beating of a woman in Oregon.
MacDonell said, "I can produce patterns of blood that can fool anyone."
Throughout his presentation, MacDonell kept the mood light with humor despite the sometimes gruesome subject matter.
While testifying in a drunk-driving case, the judge declared MacDonell to be an expert in yet another field. "I am probably the only court-certified expert on beer drinking. I so wish it had been scotch," MacDonell said.
MacDonell jokingly left the audience this piece of advice to avoid blood spatter on their clothing, "Kill someone in the nude, then take a shower, then get dressed and then call the police. In that order, that's the way I would do it."
