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Use of Forensic Animation in Criminal Investigations

Traditionally, pictorial diagrams, images, sketches, and verbal descriptions have been
used to reconstruct sequence of events in crime scenes. However, thanks to advancement in
computer animation and three-dimensional (3D) technologies, these techniques are increasingly
being replaced by forensic animation. Forensic animation, which includes computer modeling
and use of 3D technologies, is significantly better than these traditional crime reconstruction
tools because of its realism, ability to provide highly detailed reconstructed scenes, and
objectivity.
The superiority of computer modeling, especially in reconstructing crime scenes
involving bullet trajectories such as the assassination of President John F. Kennedy, is its ability
to be manipulated in order to examine different scenarios fast and in a very realistic manner. For
instance, as the video ‘JFK Assassination Magic Bullet Computer Recreation’ shows, the
trajectory of the bullet can be manipulated to examine whether different theories make sense. In
the video, it is concluded that the single bullet theory does not make sense if Governor John
Connally was sitting directly in front of President Kennedy as the bullet would have had to bend
in order to hit the governor at the point it him (Smith, 2009). However, the theory makes sense if
the governor was seated slightly to the left of the president, which was indeed the case. All these
scenarios are presented in a very realistic manner as if they are an actual recording of what
happened. Thus, the most effective component of computer modeling in explaining the bullet’s
trajectory is realism and ability to be manipulated in order to examine different scenarios or
theories.
This realism makes computer modeling quite persuasive. For instance, pictorial diagrams
are poor at reconstructing crime scenes because they are not realistic representations of crime

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scenes. In addition to realism, computer models are also persuasive because of their objectivity
and high level of detail. Unlike other tools of crime reconstruction such as sketches, pictorial
diagrams, and images, computer models use a vast amount of data about the crime scene to come
up with the model. In the case of John Kennedy’s assassination, the data would include speeds of
the vehicles carrying the victims, their sitting positions, body movements, angle of the shooter
from the victims, speed of the bullet, path taken by the bullet, and times at which the bullet hit
the victims (Smith, 2009). Thus, assuming all these data is accurate, a computer model can make
a fairly accurate reconstruction of the crime scene. Since the reconstruction is purely based on
data and not opinions of an individual, a computer model provides a crime scene reconstruction
that is believable as long as all the data used is accurate. Other crime reconstruction tools are
highly subjective and error-prone. For instance, eye witnesses may forget important details about
the crime scene or provide made-up accounts.
Apart from objectivity, computer modeling also recreates the crime scene with a level of
detail that other crime scene reconstruction tools cannot manage. For instance, it clearly shows
the relative positions of the victims at the time the bullet hit them, the motion of the bullet, and
body movements of the victims before, during, and immediately after being hit. Only computer
modeling can reconstruct the crime scene with this level of detail.
As an investigative aid, computer animation is very useful because of its ability to
examine different scenarios, accuracy of depicting the scenes, and ability to make such
examination quick. Computer modeling allows investigators to imagine different scenarios and
see if they make sense based on other pieces of evidence available on the crime scene. Unlike
crime reconstruction tools which take a lot of time to come up with different scenarios, computer
modeling allows investigators to do the manipulation within seconds. The model is also fairly

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accurate. As long as the data used is accurate, the reconstructed crime scene will also be quite
accurate. It is this quality that makes the model superior to other tools such as pictorial diagrams.

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References

Smith, N. (2009). JFK Assassination Magic Bullet Computer Recreation. Retrieved on 30 th
January, 2020 from https://youtu.be/PfSXkfV_mhA