- 01: Introduction
- 02: History
- 03: Propellants, Firearms, and Ammunition Development
- 04: Modern Firearms Manufacture
- 05: Small Arms Ammunition
- 06: Evidence Handling Procedures
- 07: Equipment and Instrumentation
- 08: Examination of Firearms
- 09: Cartridge and Shotshell Examination
- 10: Characterization and Evaluation of Fired Projectiles
- 11: Bullet Comparison and Identification
- 12: Gunshot Residue and Distance Determination
- 13: Toolmark Identification
- 14: Communicating Results
- Resources
1917-1920
Home > History > 1917-1920
1917
Fired bullets
Dr. Sydney Smith, principal medico-legal expert in Cairo, Egypt, applied scientific methods to medico-legal problems, including the examination of firearms and related evidence. Smith examined and collected fired bullet and cartridge case evidence from crime scenes in the hope that it might be useful for future prosecutions.
1920
Sacco & Vanzetti
Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti were tried for the murder of two factory workers carrying payroll. The case received worldwide publicity due to the political activities of the accused. At the trial, four experts presented firearms related evidence — two for the prosecution and two for the defense. The prosecution examiners provided testimony linking the firearms evidence to the suspects’ firearms while the defense examiners stated that the bullets and cartridge casings were not fired by the suspects’ firearms. Based on the testimony of the firearm examiners and others, the two suspects were convicted of murder. This case called into question the reliability of firearms evidence examination because many believed it was used in this case as a tool to frame the suspects for their political views. The case went through numerous appeals and reviews during 1920 – 1927. Sacco and Venzetti were executed in August of 1927.
