This Day in History: The trial in the Stratton Brothers case begins in London on this day in 1905, and it marks the first time that fingerprint evidence is used to gain a conviction for murder.
Mark Twain anticipated the use of fingerprints to nab criminals in books he published decades prior to this. The Sherlock Holmes story "The Adventure of the Norwood Builder" also used fingerprints.
Human fingerprints are detailed, nearly unique, difficult to alter, and durable over the life of an individual, making them suitable as long-term markers of human identity. They may be employed by police or other authorities to identify individuals who wish to conceal their identity, or to identify people who are incapacitated or deceased and thus unable to identify themselves, as in the aftermath of a natural disaster.
However, fingerprint evidence is not always foolproof. Over 20 years ago the fingerprints of Scottish police detective named Shirley McKie were found at a crime scene, even though she had never been there. She was sacked and eventually arrested. A scandal subsequently developed because of allegations of misconduct on the part of the Scottish Criminal Record Office and the police. Two fingerprint experts from the U.S. were called upon and both declared that the mysterious fingerprint found in the victim’s home did not belong to McKie. The SCRO experts had misidentified the fingerprints, although they stubbornly refused to admit to this.
There is also something known as the New York State Police Troop C scandal where fingerprint evidence was fabricated. The scandal became known when Trooper David L. Harding was interviewed for a job at the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA). He was asked if he was willing to break the law for his country. He answered "yes", then explained how he had worked to convict people he felt sure were guilty by fabricating evidence. He assumed the CIA would be pleased with his answer, but instead they notified the United States Department of Justice.
Did you know: Koala Bears have fingerprints similar to humans.
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