Final project submission assignment

 Expert Forensic Document Examiner 2
 The Scope of Document Examination 3
 What is a Document & a Questioned Document? 4
 Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, & Training 5
 History 6
 History for Discipline 7
 History for A Change 8
 Past Case - Albert S. Osborn 9
 Current Case - Casey Anthony trial attack on forensic evidence 10
 Casey continue 11
 Ongoing Case - Gabrielle Giffords 12
 Innovation 13
 Types of Examinations 14
 Research / An Experiment 15
 Past & Future Explained 16
 Court Exhibition 17
 Expert Witness Testimony 18
 Specimen Description 19
 Protocols for Compare Script 20
 Laboratory Test Result 21
 Analysis 22
 Conclusion 23
 Reference 24
 Reference 25
Contents

Expert Forensic Document Examiner
An expert forensic document examiner refers to a person who studies & questioned
all aspects of a document to determine its authenticity, origin, handwriting,
photocopies, inks and papers to testify in the court. A forensic document examiner
is intimately linked to the legal system as a forensic scientist. A Forensic Document
Examiner must have a sound basic education through the baccalaureate degree. The
typical training period is two years of study and practical experience in an
established questioned documents laboratory where the examiner trainee studies the
basic literature, completes study projects, becomes familiar with the role of forensic
sciences in general and questioned documents in particular as they relate to the legal
system. (US Legal, Inc. 2001-2014 )
The term "forensic" means simply, "having to do with the law." Document
Examination, as an established field of scientific study, came into being early in this
century as a means of identifying forgery and establishing the authenticity of
documents in dispute. It developed from the Court not able to correctly evaluate
document for forgery. It has been stated that "Forgery was practiced from the earliest
times in every country where writing was the medium of communication" according
to Baker, 1955 referenced by (SAFDE)
Sarratt, Document Examiner

The Scope of Document Examination
 Identification of handwriting and signatures
 Identification of a document as a forgery
 Identification of typewriters, check writers, and
photocopies
 Detection of alterations, additions, deletions, or
substitutions
 Deciphering alterations and erasures
 Identification and deciphering of indented writing
 Comparisons of inks and identification of type of writing
instrument
 Identification of markings under crossed-out portions of
document
 Authenticating or disputing the origin of a document
(SAFDE 2005)

What is a Document & a Questioned
Document?
A Document
Questioned Document
A document is a complex handwriting
or printing information with
different characters or strokes.
 A document according to SAFDE is
best defined as anything bearing
marks, signs, or symbols that have
meaning or convey a message to
someone. The 3 basic elements
require to produce a writing are:
1) The writing surface
2) The writing instrument
3) The transfer medium
Questioned document is unsure
document that has any or all of
the following characteristics:
 Stain
 Blur
 doubtful
 Unknown
 Questionable
 Vague

Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, & Training
 Knowledge of: handwriting styles and
their physiological characteristics, and
the proper operation and application of
equipment/chemicals in preparing
forensic analysis.
 Ability to: detect genuineness, forgery, or
alterations in questioned documents,
prepare formal written reports of
findings and conclusions to support
legal action, present findings and
conclusions clearly and concisely with
the use of visual aids in a courtroom or
instructional setting, convey orally in
layman's terms, the process of examining
questioned documents and their results.
 Skill in: operating highly specialized
equipment and preparing chemical
compounds in a safe and secure manner
 Training:
 Introduction to Fraud
 Security Features
 Birth Certificates
 Vehicle Documents
 Driver Licenses and IDs
 Travel Documents
 Social Security Cards
 Immigration Documents
 Military IDs
 Canadian Documents
 Mexican Documents
 Counterfeits and Alterations
 People and Actions
(HRSF 2014)

History
The history of document
examiner is as old as the
alphabet dated back to the
bible when Moses is an
expert witness to God
handwriting
"The Ten Commandments"
Questioned Document is
the history of
"Forgery" for "Forensic"
"Science" for "Law"
-Koppenhaver 2007

History For Discipline
 Many questioned document cases are
proven on evidence other than
handwriting examination. For example,
in 1928 there was a famous case known as
the Duke "Lost Heirs Case" which was
tried in Somerville, NJ. A family Bible was
introduced inscribed with the birth dates
of children of the family. The mother
claimed that she wrote the dates in the
Bible shortly after the birth of the
children in 1887 and 1889. However,
careful examination of the Bible itself
showed that it was copyrighted in 1890,
invalidating the timing claimed by the
mother.
(Will 2001-2008)
 Notorious case in history for
forensic document examiner
according to Houck & Siegel (2010)
is that of Alfred Dreyfus for treason
1870-1940 when Alphonse Bertillon
was a photographer who developed
the "science of anthropometry" who
testified in court as an expert
forensic document examiner that
Dreyfus authored the pivotal
document in questioned that later
established to be false is setback to
forensic base on science to
established a reasonable doubt for
bias as an affair with science.

History For Change
The history of Forgery is a science that need to change, based on numerous history,
forensic has been proven to be inaccurate and accused of bias in the procedure for
analyzing handwriting according to Miller (1984) Bias among forensic document
examiners: a need for procedural change.

Past Case - Albert S. Osborn
A case of a signature for
penmanship is as to whether or not a
signature is genuine for disputed document
in July 1, 1940 should be looked for
handwriting and perhaps photograph. The
examination of signature should be made in
good daylight for ink colors and whether the
signature was writing in hurry. Suitable
magnifying glasses should be in hand and as
a rule, genuine writing
should be available for direct comparison
according to this article “ink” old or fresh
and exact size of paper cut or evenly by hand
or by instrument, fold or crump are evidence
to the authenticity of the signature.
Osborn is considered the pioneer of the question
document field, he published a book that is widely
excepted because of his extensive use of scientific
techniques. Albert Osborn and Lindbergh Baby Case
Result of his work and national attention, the QD
field was included in many Federal and State
Agencies. Now called Questioned Document
Examiners

Current Case - Casey Anthony trial attack on
forensic evidence
 An article written by Warren Richey on June 16, 2011 indicated that Lorie Gottesman,
an FBI forensic examiner, testifies during the murder trial of Casey Anthony at the
Orange County Courthouse, in Orlando, Fla., accused with killing her 2-year old
daughter in 2008 found no evidence of a heart-shaped sticker or heart-shaped
residue on a piece of duct tape that prosecutors say was the murder weapon used by
Casey Anthony to suffocate her two-year-old daughter Caylee.
The case is important for twist according to Richey,
In earlier testimony Gottesman told the jury that when examining the duct tape she
used a high-tech device with special lights and filters that is capable of identifying
images that are beyond the range of the human eye to see. In an unusual twist, Ms.
Gottesman also testified that the only traceable DNA evidence found on the duct tape
discovered near Caylee’s remains belonged to her. “How did it happen,” Mr. Baez
asked. “I have no idea how it happened or when,” Gottesman told the jury. Baez asked
if she sneezed on the evidence. “No sir.” “Throughout the entire time you had these
items you exercised great care,” Baez asked
__Richey (2011)

Casey continue The testimony is important because it raises doubt about one of
the most vivid and brutal suggestions in the case – that Caylee’s killer may have adorned the murder weapon
itself with a heart-shaped sticker.
 Outline of a heart
 In earlier testimony Gottesman told the jury
that when examining the duct tape she used a
high-tech device with special lights and filters
that is capable of identifying images that are
beyond the range of the human eye to see.
 During the prosecution’s case, earlier this
week, an FBI fingerprint expert testified that
she observed what appeared to be a dime-
sized residue outline in the shape of a heart on
a portion of the duct tape that allegedly
covered Caylee’s face. A supervisor also said
she saw the residue outline.
 The expert, Elizabeth Fontaine, continued
conducting fingerprint tests. Later, when she
attempted to photograph the outline, she said
she was unable to see it.
 Heart stickers found
 The disappearing heart on the duct tape isn’t
the only heart-shaped piece of evidence in the
case. Prosecutors also introduced a pink raised
heart on a piece of soiled cardboard that crime
scene investigators located in the same woods
where Caylee’s remains were found.
 Investigators found and seized heart stickers
in a drawer in Casey’s bedroom. But it is
unclear whether any of them match the raised
pink heart found on the soiled cardboard or
are similar to the dime-shaped image reported
by the fingerprint expert.
 Baez called three crime scene investigators
who testified for the prosecution back to the
witness stand to ask them how far away the
pink heart on the cardboard was from Caylee’s
remains.

Ongoing Case - Gabrielle Giffords
Recent and ongoing case is a man accused of fatally gunning down six people and
wounding 13 others, including U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, to submit a
handwriting sample -- a request that he, thus far, has refused
According to CNN, a federal prosecutor motion was filed Monday, out of the
office of U.S. Attorney Dennis Burke in Arizona, asking the court to compel
Jared Lee Loughner to write out something so authorities can view his writing
style. The government wants the sample to compare with handwritten notes
found in Loughner's residence that include mentions of Giffords "as well as
references to guns and bullets," according to a court document. It says he has
resisted such requests to date, "arguing that the court lacks authority" to force
him to provide a sample. (CNN 2011)

Innovation
History Advance
 Turn of century, lifestyles
changed from rural to urban
 From people that could
distinguish the authenticity of
a document.
 Bias, the history Dreyfus case,
setback the discipline
 Drawing conclusions from
certain types of characteristics
in the handwriting sample
 Allowed for more
opportunities in education.
 Attorneys would look toward
penman for help with cases
 Osborn, the pioneer of the
question document field
because he published a book
 Use of scientific techniques.
Albert Osborn and Lindbergh
Baby Case
 Accepted in court because
they used scientific methods

Types of Examinations
Handwriting Comparisons
Pen lifts & pressure
Ink Examinations
Indented Writing
Space between letters & words
Alterations
Paper Analysis
Photocopy Analysis
Typewriting
Beginning and ending stroke

A Lay Witness Identification
of Handwriting for (An
Experiment) in 1939
referencing to ink as a
source of evidence to proof
the authorship
Inbau, F. E. (1939).
the signature specimens
which were used in this
experiment are
reproduced and discussed
in an article currently
appearing in the Police
Science section of the
Journal of Criminal Law
and Criminology (Vol. 30,
No. 4). Entitled “The
Detection of Forgery”.
Research / An Experiment

Past & Future Explained
In the area for a consideration to the instrument such as ink or pen as an attribution
to proving the authenticity and the authorship of a handwriting. According to
Neumann & Margot (2010), the bases for suggestions are; while there are often not
enough characteristics to identify an instrument or a batch solely based on the
analysis of an ink sample, the inference of the identity of source can be supported
by a statistical process. This statistical process would supplement the limitations
in the discriminating power of the chosen analytical techniques. In such case, the
use of relevant databases, populated depending on the chosen definition of the
source of an ink.
 While this interpretative process would not lead to the individualization a given
instrument, probabilistic statements could be reported for ink evidence as they
are for other evidence types. At this point, it is important to realize that some of
the definitions of the meaning attributed to the source of an ink can make the
examination process uninformative -Neumann & Margot (2010).
 Watch:
Move the mouse to the
link, right click, select
Open Hyperlink.
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery
/31573-conspiracy-test-kalymon-
handwriting-analysis-
video.htm#mkcpgn=snag1

Court Exhibition
Mock Case #H03-034
Questioned Document
#E03-034-15

My name is
Modupe Sarratt
I am the Forensic
Document Examiner
for the Mock Case
#H03-034
Expert Witness Testimony

Specimen Description
One known exemplar (K1) was submitted by Mrs.
Jackson for comparison with an unknown ASW scrap
of paper found in the car of Mr. Aaron Andrade (Q1).
Additional known exemplars of Mr. Aaron Anadrade
(K2) and Mr. Alexander Rios (K3) were also submitted
for comparison.

Protocols for Compare Script
Uses science to study handwriting or script; an expert is someone who
uses science to analyses a document for differences in characteristic of
the letters.
Scope of my examination include
 Identification unknown and known sample by their name
 Comparing handwriting of the unknown side by side with the known
 By make a small mark at the top of each letter
 Using ruler to join the dots to identified handwriting pattern of the unknown
and exemplars
 Scrutinizing handwriting with
 Microscopic/Oblique Lighting
 Macroscopic/Ultraviolet Lighting
 Electrostatic (ESDA) - Not Uses
To find what are,
• Perfectly match
• Mostly match
• Somewhat match
• Do not match at all

Laboratory Test Result
 Physical Comparison of paper
 "Fracture match" examination of the cut edges of both sides of each sheet of
paper were unable to be matched with samples given from Mr. Andrade,
Mrs. Jackson, and Mr. Rios
 Microscopic/Oblique lighting
 Oblique lighting analysis with a Foster-Freeman Crime-Lite 82L revealed no
indented writing or markings of evidential value.
 Macroscopic/VSC6000
 Examination under ultraviolet lighting revealed several fluorescent paper
fibers bisected (cut).
 Electrostatic (ESDA) – Not Used

Analysis
Questioned document 3 Exemplars
NO MATCH FOR THE
UNKOWN SAMPLE

Conclusion
Note:
A document examiner may also say that he or she cannot arrive at a
conclusion based on the given samples.
Upon testing following all the protocols and procedures. I concluded the
questioned document and exemplars
• Do not match at all

Reference
CNN Wire Staff. (March 8, (2011 6:04 a.m. EST.) Feds try to force Arizona
shooting suspect to give writing sample
http://www.cnn.com/2011/CRIME/03/07/arizona.loughner/index.html?
_s=PM:CRIME Accessed 2014-09-04
HRSF: Human Resources San Francisco Class 8564. (2014-04-11).
http://www.jobaps.com/SF/specs/classspecdisplay.asp?ClassNumber=82
64
Inbau, F. E. (1939). Lay witness identification of handwriting (an experiment). Ill.
L. Rev., 34, 433. Accessed 2014-04-08
Layton, Julia. 26 August 2006 "How Handwriting Analysis Works”.
HowStuffWorks.com. http://science.howstuffworks.com/handwriting-
analysis.htm Accessed 08 April 2014
Neumann, C., & Margot, P. (2010). Considerations on the ASTM Standards 1789-
04 and 1422-05 on the Forensic Examination of Ink. Journal Of Forensic
Sciences (Wiley- Blackwell), 55(5), 1304-1310. doi:10.1111/j.1556-
4029.2010.01454.x

Reference
Osborn, A. S. (1940). THE INVESTIGATION AND TRIAL OF A QUESTIONED
DOCUMENT CASE. Journal Of Criminal Law& Criminology (08852731),
31236- 245.
Southern Association of Forensic Document Examiners (SAFDE 2005)
http://www.safde.org/whatwedo.htm Accessed 2014-04-10
Video. (2014). How Stuff Work Accessed 2014-04-10
http://videos.howstuffworks.com/discovery/31573-conspiracy-test-
kalymon-handwriting-analysis-video.htm#mkcpgn=snag1
Winfrey, Tom. (Aug 19, 2010) Questioned Document Slide Show
http://www.slideshare.net/tomwinfrey/questioned-documents-
slide-show Accessed 2014-09-04.

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