A Life of Crime: My Career in Forensic Science

354 Pages·2018·23.36 MB·English

by  Douglas Lucas

A Life of Crime
My Career in Forensic Science
International Forensic Science and Investigation Series
Series Editor
Max Houck
Forensic Examination of Hair
James R. Robertson
Forensic Examination of Fibres, Second Edition
J. Robertson and M. Grieve
Forensic Examination of Glass and Paint : Analysis and Interpretation
B. Caddy
Forensic Speaker Identification
P. Rose
Bitemark Evidence
B. J. Dorion
The Practice of Crime Scene Investigation
J. Horswell
Fire Investigation
N. Nic Daé id
Forensic Computer Crime Investigation
Thomas A. Johnson
Analytical and Practical Aspects of Drug Testing in Hair
Pascal Kintz
Nonhuman DNA Typing : Theory and Casework Applications
Heather M. Coyle
Chemical Analysis of Firearms, Ammunition, and Gunshot Residue
James Smyth Wallace
Forensic Science in Wildlife Investigations
Adrian Linacre
Scientific Method : Applications in Failure Investigation and Forensic Science
Randall K. Noon
Forensic Epidemiology
Steven A. Koehler and Peggy A. Brown
Ethics and the Practice of Forensic Science
Robin T. Bowen
Introduction to Data Analysis with R for Forensic Scientists
James Michael Curran
Forensic Investigation of Explosions, Second Edition
A. Beveridge
Firearms, the Law, and Forensic Ballistics, Third Edition
Tom Warlow
The Neuroscience of Handwriting : Applications for Forensic Document Examination
Michael P. Caligiuri and Linton A. Mohammed
Forensic Metrology : Scientific Measurement and Inference for Lawyers, Judges, and Criminalists
Ted Vosk and Ashley F. Emery
Fingerprints and Other Ridge Skin Impressions, Second Edition
C. Champod, C. Lennard, P. Margot, and M. Stoilovic
Forensic Examination of Fibres, Third Edition
James Robertson, Claude Roux, and Kenneth G. Wiggins
Chemical Analysis of Firearms, Ammunition and Gunshot Residue, Second Edition
James Smyth Wallace
A Life of Crime: My Career in Forensic Science
Douglas M. Lucas
A Life of Crime
My Career in Forensic Science
Douglas M. Lucas
CRC Press
Taylor & Francis Group
6000 Broken Sound Parkway NW, Suite 300
Boca Raton, FL 33487-2742
© 2019 by Taylor & Francis Group, LLC
CRC Press is an imprint of Taylor & Francis Group, an Informa business
No claim to original U.S. Government works
Printed on acid-free paper
International Standard Book Number-13: 978-1-138-60446-9 (Hardback)
This book contains information obtained from authentic and highly regarded sources. Reasonable efforts
have been made to publish reliable data and information, but the author and publisher cannot assume
responsibility for the validity of all materials or the consequences of their use. The authors and publishers
have attempted to trace the copyright holders of all material reproduced in this publication and apologize to
copyright holders if permission to publish in this form has not been obtained. If any copyright material has
not been acknowledged please write and let us know so we may rectify in any future reprint.
Except as permitted under U.S. Copyright Law, no part of this book may be reprinted, reproduced, transmit-
ted, or utilized in any form by any electronic, mechanical, or other means, now known or hereafter invented,
including photocopying, microfilming, and recording, or in any information storage or retrieval system,
without written permission from the publishers.
For permission to photocopy or use material electronically from this work, please access www.copyright.
com (http://www.copyright.com/) or contact the Copyright Clearance Center, Inc. (CCC), 222 Rosewood
Drive, Danvers, MA 01923, 978-750-8400. CCC is a not-for-profit organization that provides licenses and
registration for a variety of users. For organizations that have been granted a photocopy license by the CCC,
a separate system of payment has been arranged.
Trademark Notice: Product or corporate names may be trademarks or registered trademarks, and are used
only for identification and explanation without intent to infringe.
Library of Congress Cataloging‑ in‑ Publication Data
Names: Lucas, Douglas M., 1929- author.
Title: A life of crime : my career in forensic science / Douglas M. Lucas.
Description: Boca Raton, FL : CRC Press, [2019] |
Includes bibliographical references and index.
Identifiers: LCCN 2018017261| ISBN 9781138604469 (hardback : alk. paper) |
ISBN 9780429468476 (ebook)
Subjects: LCSH: Lucas, Douglas M., 1929- | Forensic scientists--Canada--Biography. |
Forensic sciences--Canada. | Criminal investigation--Canada.
Classification: LCC HV8073 .L797 2019 | DDC 363.25092 [B] --dc23
LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2018017261
Visit the Taylor & Francis Web site at
http://www.taylorandfrancis.com
and the CRC Press Web site at
http://www.crcpress.com
Contents
Acknowledgments xi
Prologue: Flight 621 xv
About the Author xxiii
1 The Early Years 1
My Family 1
Education 4
The RCAF 6
Marriage 9
Graduate School 10
Early Married Life 11
Almost Forensic Science 12
2 The Fledgling Forensic Scientist 15
Forensic Science in Ontario 15
The Attorney General’s Laboratory/Centre of Forensic Sciences 16
The Breathalyzer 18
Introduction of Breath Test Evidence 22
3 Point Zero Eight: Forensic Science Influences
the Law 25
Early Legislation 25
The Grand Rapids Study 26
A Holiday Message 27
4 The Courtroom: “What on Earth Am I Doing
Here?” 33
The Search for Truth? 33
The Logistics 34
Hastings County (and Other) Juries 35
Women in the Courtroom 36
Justice for Indigenous People 37
Gore Bay, My Favorite Court 38
Capital Punishment 39
Giving Testimony 40
v
vi Contents
5 Broadening Horizons: There Is More to This
Than Just Alcohol! 43
Gas Chromatography and Arson 43
Fire Investigation 44
6 Screech and Seal Flipper Pie: Fire and Politics in
Newfoundland 49
The Initial Investigation and Events 49
Ontario Becomes Involved 51
The Simulations 51
7 Carbon Monoxide: “Death and the Dark-Haired
Maiden” 57
Regina v. Dalton Barber 58
8 Nitroglycerine and Explosions: Some Things
Can’t Be Learned in the Laboratory 67
Nitroglycerine: A Tool for Midnight Withdrawals 67
Investigating Explosions 69
Metallic Sodium 73
Homemade Explosives 74
An Embarrassing Case 75
High Explosives 77
A Variety of Learning Experiences 79
Hoggs Hollow 79
Not All Mines Are Explosive 81
Explosion in an Operating Room 81
Rush to Sutton Place 81
Some Movies Are Truly Explosive 82
9 An Explosion in a Dynamite Plant: “Holy Sh--!
This Stuff Is Dangerous!” 83
Safety Elements in Building Design and Production Process 84
The Explosion 86
The Investigation 86
Possible Causes of the Explosion 89
Conclusion 90
A Sequel 91
Contents vii
10 Dealing with IEDs: “There Has to Be a Better Way” 93
Development of New Equipment and Procedures 94
11 Canada’s Guy Fawkes 99
A Louder than Normal Question Period 99
A Rooming House in Toronto 101
Meanwhile, Back in Ottawa 103
12 Mr. Miscellaneous: “Can You Do Something
with This?” 109
Criminal Abortions 110
Illegal Gambling 112
13 Missing Person or Homicide?: Regina v. Arthur
Kendall 119
14 How to Get a New Lab?: Regina v. Wayne Ford 123
15 The Attorney General’s Lab Gets a New Name
and a New Director 129
Directing CFS 130
The International Meeting in 1969 133
The New Laboratory Building 135
Ministry of the Solicitor General 138
16 “Get Involved” They Told Me, So I Did:
Professional Associations 141
Canadian Society of Forensic Science 141
American Academy of Forensic Sciences 142
Committee on Alcohol and Other Drugs, National Safety
Council 152
American Society of Crime Laboratory Directors 153
International Association of Forensic Sciences 156
17 Last Word Society Stories No. 1 (1979): “ Was
Tom Thomson Murdered?” or “ Whose Bones Are
Buried under That Spruce Tree? 161
July 1917 163
September– October 1956 169
viii Contents
A TV Film and Some Books 172
Conclusion 178
Addendum 179
Further Readings 180
18 Last Word Society Stories No. 2 (1983): The
Assassination of Thomas D’arcy McGee, “Look
for the Tailor with the Red Whiskers” 183
Addendum 190
Further Readings 192
19 Last Word Society Stories No. 3 (1988): Arsenic
and Old Ice, the Death of Charles Francis Hall 193
Further Readings 199
20 Miracle of Mississauga: “Let’s Get the Hell
Out of Here” 201
CP Rail Train 54 201
The Evacuation 203
The Investigation 207
What Caused the Journal Box and Axle to Fail? 207
What Caused the Extensive Fires? 207
Which Cars Exploded, Why, and in What Sequence? 208
Why Did Some Propane Cars Not Explode? 211
What Caused the Hole in the Chlorine Tank? 212
How Much Chlorine Was Left in the Tank on
Sunday Morning? 213
Conclusion 214
21 The Baby Deaths at Sick Kids Hospital: “George
the Moose Was Still Standing” 215
22 Introduction of DNA Profiling: “ If You Are
Going to Do It, Do It Right!” 223
The Bernardo Case 229
23 The Guy Paul Morin Case, a “Tragedy of Errors” 233
The Crime 233
The Investigation 234
The First Trial and Appeals 236
Contents ix
The Second Trial and Appeals 237
The Inquiry 238
24 The Steven Truscott Case: Wrongful
Conviction or Factual Innocence? 241
The Crime 241
The Investigation 243
The Trial 245
The Supreme Court of Canada Reference 247
The Ontario Court of Appeal Reference 253
Further Reading 255
25 Retirement, Part 1: “So, What Do I Do Now?” 259
Forensic Science Consultant 260
Laboratory Quality Reviews 260
Vancouver City Analyst Laboratory 260
San Francisco Police Department Lab 262
Baltimore County Police Department Lab 263
FBI Laboratory 263
Forensic Science Center at Chicago 265
Houston Police Department Laboratory 267
Preaccreditation Reviews 271
NYPD Laboratory 271
Wrongful Conviction Reviews 275
Montana State Forensic Laboratory 276
Oklahoma City Police Department Laboratory 278
Chicago Police Department Laboratory 282
RCMP Laboratory 284
The “Troubles” in Northern Ireland 287
Omagh Bombing 292
Two Incredible Surprises 299
26 Retirement, Part 2: My Final Presentation 305
Scientific Evidence or Junk Science? 305
Epilogue: A Sense of Pride 311
Appendix: Curriculum Vitae of Douglas
M. Lucas, DSc (Hon) 315
Index 321