Dismemberment in forensic anthropology: Analysis of 130 experimental false starts ; Démembrements en médecine légale : analyse expérimentale de 130 faux départs

Cases of criminal dismemberment are encountered in forensic pathology and forensic anthropology. Post mortem dismemberment results from the use of sharp or sharp blunt instruments. Saw marks analysis aims to classify the saw: hand saw versus electrical saw; crosscut and universal saw versus rip saw; size of the teeth (“teeth per inch” TPI) and set type. Article 1: Analysis of false start bone lesions produced by an electrical oscillating autopsy saw. At autopsy, opening of the skull and sampling of other parts of the skeleton are usually achieved with an electrical oscillating autopsy saw. In cases of dismemberment, this autopsy saw may create additional marks to those produced by the criminal activity. In order to help the forensic pathologist to differentiate the two types of saw marks, this experimental study used a stereomicroscope to examine 130 experimental false starts produced on animal and human bones by an oscillating autopsy saw. A obvious succession of narrow and wide aspects of the walls (in a “figure 8” shape), with evident oval bone islands and undulating striae are typical patterns released by oscillating autopsy saws. But the depth of the false starts plays an important role in the variation of the features. In particular, superficial false starts tend to be associated with larger kerf widths, straight walls and longitudinal bone islands. Article 2: Analysis of false starts lesions on human bones produced by two hand saws with high TPI. The goal of this work was to study, with a stereomicroscope, a series of 60 experimental false starts (30 lesions for each saw) produced on human bones by two different handsaws with a high TPI (15 and 32), not studied to our knowledge in the forensic literature. Saw 2 (rip saw with a high 32 TPI and a wavy set) displayed classical features. In contrast, saw 1 (universal saw, TPI 15, alternating set) did not release expected characteristics: the minimum width of the kerf was weak, the kerf walls were straight, the striae were thin and straight and the kerf ...