stab wounds

Features of a Stab Wound:

Character of the knife

Relative position of the assailant
to the victim
Width of the knife
Length of the knife (?)
 MAXIMS:

The length of the wound is the width of the knife

The length of the wound may be longer than the

width of the knife but it could never be shorter

In the presence of a HILT MARK, the depth of

the wound is the length of the knife

In the absence of a hilt mark: I cannot tell you

how long is the knife but I can tell you how not
short is the knife!
 In the presence of a HILT
MARK, the depth of the
wound is the length of
the knife

In the absence of a hilt mark:

I cannot tell you how long is the
knife but I can tell you how not short is
the knife!
 CUT-THROAT
SUICIDAL VS. HOMICIDAL
Oblique
Oblique Horizontal
Horizontal
Not
Not so
so deep
deep Deep
Deep
Test
Test or
or Hesitation
Hesitation cuts Defense
cuts Defense wounds
wounds
present
present may
may be
be present
present
Facing
Facing aa mirror
mirror Lying
Lying on
on the
the ground
ground
Cadaveric
Cadaveric spasm
spasm with
with Weapon
Weapon is is usually
usually
hand
hand grasping
grasping the
the
weapon absent
absent or
or hidden
hidden
weapon
elsewhere
elsewhere
 Blood in front of the body, Blood at the back of the
Blood in front of the body, Blood at the back of the
hands smeared with blood neck,
neck,hands
handsare
areclean
clean
hands smeared with blood
SUICIDE NOTE none
SUICIDE NOTE none
History of mental History of recent
History of mental History of recent
depression,
depression,domestic
domesticoror altercation
altercationusually
usually
financial
financialproblem
problem following
followingaadrinking
drinkingspree
spree
Prior history of self- No prior attempts on his
Prior history of self- No prior attempts on his
destruction own
ownlife
life
destruction
Stomach - empty Alcohol
Stomach - empty Alcohol
 which of the wound was inflicted first?

Relative position of the assailant to the victim

when the first injury was inflicted

Testimony of the witness

Trajectory or course of the wound inside the body

Organs involved and extent of injuries sustained

by the victim

Presence of defense wounds

 effect of medical and surgical intervention

Offender
Offender may may still
still be
be held
held liable
liable for
for the
the death
death ofof the
the
victim
victimififititcan
canbe
beproven
proventhat
thatdeath
deathisisinevitable
inevitableand
andthat
that
even
even without
without the the operation,
operation, death
death isis the
the normal
normal andand
direct
directconsequence
consequenceofofthe theinjuries
injuriessustained.
sustained.

ItItmust
mustbe
beshown
shownthat
thatthe
thephysician
physiciantreating
treatingthe
thevictim
victimisis
competent
competentand
andthat
thathe
heexercised
exercisedcare
careand
anddiligence.
diligence.

That
That the
the wound
wound inflicted
inflicted must
must be
be the
the direct
direct and
and
proximate cause of the death.
proximate cause of the death.
 Effect of negligence of the injured person

IfIf death
death occurred
occurred from
from complications
complications arising
arising from
from aa
simple
simple injury
injury owing
owing to
to the
the negligence
negligence of
of the
the injured
injured
person in its proper care and treatment, the offender
person in its proper care and treatment, the offender
isisstill
stillheld
heldresponsible.
responsible.

AAperson
personisisnot
notbound
boundto
toseek
seekmedical
medicalattention
attentionfor
forthe
the
injuries
injuriessustained.
sustained.

The
The fact
fact that
that the
the victim
victim would
would have
have lived
lived had
had he
he
received
receivedtreatment
treatmentisisimmaterial!
immaterial!