Forensic Scientist

Forensic Scientist

LIsa Black

Cape Coral, FL

Female, 49

I spent the five happiest years of my life in a morgue. As a forensic scientist in the Cleveland coroner’s office I analyzed gunshot residue on hands and clothing, hairs, fibers, paint, glass, DNA, blood and many other forms of trace evidence, as well as crime scenes. Now I'm a certified latent print examiner and CSI for a police department in Florida. I also write a series of forensic suspense novels, turning the day job into fiction. My books have been translated into six languages.

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Last Answer on July 21, 2022

Best Rated

A dead body washes up on a beach, and is investigated by forensic scientists. What evidence on the body would indicate sustained tiger attacks spanning a duration of three days + proof that the person died as a result of drowning and not the attacks?

Asked by Don Barry/Screenwriter over 7 years ago

At a guess, I would suggest: slash marks that are too wide for a knife, some partially healed, would indicate animal claws inflicted at different times, but none deep enough or near vital arteries to cause bleeding out. Then water in the lungs would indicate drowning, though that is not always a definite indicator. Drowning is an elimination diagnosis, as in you eliminate other possible causes.

why did you choose this job/career

Asked by anthony melendez over 7 years ago

if you have homework assignment interview questions, please email me all of them at once at: Lisa-black@live.com and I’ll get back to you.

Hi so I'm doing a school project on a career I want to do and I was wondering if there was any chance I was able to ask you questions about Forensic science and pathology?

Asked by Bri over 7 years ago

Sure, email me at lisa-black@live.com

Like someone ripped out his brain and placed it in the mans hand. And then ripped the wife's heart and placed in his other hand. ... sorry if im taking up too much of your time.

Asked by Paula again over 7 years ago

Oh, sorry, for some reason I thought you meant that the guy had done it himself. In that case it is quite possible of course. The scene would be very bloody, of course, with all those injuries. The bodies would bleed out but probably more from gravity than from the heart pumping because they would have died so quickly. (At least I’m assuming the attack was over quickly.) The heart is about the size of the person’s fist and, obviously, would be blood covered after removal. A brain is grayish white and convoluted and other than some blood smears would look fairly neat, if the entire thing was removed carefully as one would at an autopsy. The killer would need a scraping tool and the expertise to do that. Otherwise it would probably look pretty mangled, but still largely a grayish white color.Hope that helps!

What steps should one take to become a forensic scientist in school? I am currently a student working on a BA in chemistry, but I don't know what the next step is as far as after college.

Asked by Brianne over 7 years ago

A good way to get a handle on the situation is to look at online job postings from places where you might want to work--the local police department, the county morgue, the state crime lab. They will post the duties and requirements for each position. You can also check the same information on the websites of professional organizations such as the American Academy of Forensic Sciences or the International Association for Identification. That should give you a good start.

1 What is the education requirement for this position? 2 What knowledge do you need to have? 3 What skills do you need to learn and how long did it take you to learn them? 4 What is a normal day like in this job?

Asked by Mattea over 7 years ago

For homework assignments please email me at: lisa-black@live.com.

Okay I am righting a book, and I am looking for a way to describe it from a forensic scientist/analyzer's point of view. the man would die with a caved in skull, holding his brain in one hand, and his wife's heart in the other.

Asked by Paula over 7 years ago

Sorry, I'm having a hard time picturing how what you're describing would be possible.