Caleb Flynn Trial Day 3: Print Expert Could NOT Say WHAT?

SPEAKER_1 (0:00)

You're listening to continuing coverage in the trial of Caleb Flynn from the Hidden Killers podcast and True Crime Today. Now, back to the courtroom.

SPEAKER_2 (0:13)

Mr. Joseph, you may inquire with this witness.

SPEAKER_3 (0:15)

Thank you, Your Honor. Ma'am, can you please state your name and spell your first and last name for the record?

Vicki Bartholomew (0:19)

Vicki Bartholomew, the I-C-K-I, B-A-R-T-H-O-L-O-M-E-W.

SPEAKER_3 (0:26)

And where are you currently employed?

Vicki Bartholomew (0:28)

I work at the Bureau of Criminal Investigation in Bowling Green, Ohio.

SPEAKER_3 (0:33)

And what is your position in the DCI?

Vicki Bartholomew (0:35)

I'm a forensic scientist in the late-grade section of the laboratory.

SPEAKER_3 (0:39)

And what are your current duties?

Vicki Bartholomew (0:41)

I examine evidence that's submitted to the laboratory for the presence of sufficient reach detail, determine whether there are sufficient prints to carry on with the comparison, compare any of those prints with any individuals listed within the case, and issue reports and then testify in court when asked to do so.

SPEAKER_3 (1:05)

How long have you been working at the DCI?

Vicki Bartholomew (1:07)

I've been there for just over 20 years.

SPEAKER_3 (1:10)

And what's your formal educational background?

Vicki Bartholomew (1:13)

I have a Bachelors of Arts from Miami University at Oxford, Ohio, in Psychology and Zoology, and also a Masters of Criminal Justice from Tiffany University.

SPEAKER_3 (1:22)

Have you received any specialized training in your late grade examination?

Vicki Bartholomew (1:27)

I have. Our training program within the laboratory is roughly a one-year training program where you're working alongside a trained examiner. During that time, you're doing various analysis and comparison tasks and tests throughout the training program.

Learning how to process evidence, how to do comparisons, and issue our reports. Since then, I've also attended several outside training programs, typically taught by the FBI and or the International Association for Identification.

SPEAKER_3 (2:07)

And I'm a member of an International Frisbee Society of Organizations.

Vicki Bartholomew (2:10)

I am a member of the International Identification Association for Identification. It's one of the largest organizations primarily for leading crimes throughout the world.

SPEAKER_3 (2:23)

Have you testified as an expert witness before?

Vicki Bartholomew (2:25)

I have.

SPEAKER_3 (2:26)

Approximately how many times?

Vicki Bartholomew (2:28)

I believe this is my 25th testimony.

SPEAKER_3 (2:31)

Please tell the jury what friction-rich skin is.

Vicki Bartholomew (2:34)

Friction-rich skin is a special skin that is actually found on the palmar side of our hand and then the underside of our foot. This area of skin is different in that it consists of raised and lowered portions. The raised areas are your ridges. The valleys or that lower portion in between are your furrows. The primary function of this skin is just to allow us to maintain our grip and grasp on an item or a surface as we are touching it.

If you look at your hands, you will actually see these minute little ridges.

As it flows across your hand, it doesn't flow just a continuous line. It's actually broken up and it forms different characteristics and heterotypes because of these characteristics that are in their arrangement. They are unique from individual, one individual to another and even from finger to finger. Because they are unique and they are persistent throughout the individual's life, they're able to be used for identification and exclusionary purposes.

SPEAKER_3 (3:38)

What's a known print?

Vicki Bartholomew (3:40)

A known print is a recording of this rich, fortunate skin of an individual whose identity has been confirmed. This can be achieved by just applying a thin layer of black ink on the surface of the individual's skin, and then rolling that or applying it to a fingerprint card or a palm print card.

There's also ways of capturing that digital image at the ridges electronically.

What's a latent print? A latent print is a chance impression that is left behind by these fortunate ridges. So along the ridges, you have, mind me, of course, that actually exudes sweat and oils and can coat the surface of the ridges. As you carry on throughout your day and throughout life, you will come in contact with various contaminants, oils from other parts of our bodies, dirt, dust, makeup, anything like that, and it could actually adhere to the surface of that ridge skin.

As you touch an item, a replication of that ridge detail may be left behind on the surface. Latency simply means that it's hidden and that it requires additional means to make those points visible to us. This can be achieved by either lighting, using fingerprint powder or chemical agents to make that visible. At that point, you can just capture it, preserve it, either capture it digitally or use a table lift to actually lift that impression and put it on a RTV or an analyzed plater.