Running head: EVIDENCE LOG 1
Evidence Log
Sarra Lord
Tarleton State University
Running head: EVIDENCE LOG 2
Evidence Log
In May 1987 a person named Johnny Wayne Bell was charged with knowingly and
intentionally torturing an animal by amputating his ears (Michigan, 2017). The dog, a
Rhodesian Ridgeback cross breed puppy, was discovered by neighbors with its ears chopped off
and when the owner was questioned by the neighbors his defense was that veterinarians charged
too much (Michigan, 2017). The neighbor called the sheriffs department.
The deputy sheriff from the Beaumont Sheriffs Department who investigated the crime
took the puppy to the Beaumont Animal Shelter where a veterinarian examined the dog and
determined that the ears had been cropped without benefit of anesthesia, analgesia, antibiotics or
appropriate aftercare causing severe inflammation and side effects (Michigan, 2017).
The attached evidence log is my recreation of the types of evidence that would be found at
such a crime scene and what testing might be done on each piece of evidence to tie the alleged
abuser to the victim and the crime.
For example, while the dog itself would be evidence that a crime had been committed the
alleged abuser might claim that someone else had mutilated its ears. The statement that the alleged
abuser made to his neighbors could be considered hearsay and might be deemed inadmissible. A
search warrant would allow the sheriffs department to search the owners premises and potentially
uncover evidence such as the supplies used to perform an ear cropping. DNA testing could prove
the presence of both the abuser and the dog, and fingerprint analysis could place the items in the
abusers hands or determine that there was another individual involved.
In summary, just because there is evidence that a crime has been committed it does not mean
that the investigation is over. The investigating agency has to tie the accused to the crime with
meaningful evidence in such a way that the district attorney has enough to take the accused before
Running head: EVIDENCE LOG 3
a judge and jury. In my evidence log example, the tee-shirt is stained with the victims blood and
has enough DNA evidence to prove that it belongs to the accused. The surgical supplies, bloody
gauze, X-Acto knife handle, and blades, have the victims blood and the accuseds fingerprints.
The trash can liner contains a bloody glove that can be tied to both the victim and the accused, and
the remnants of the ear flaps in the trash can further link the accused and victim together in the
same location.
Running head: EVIDENCE LOG 4
EVIDENCE LOG/COC RECORD
Agency: __Beaumont Sheriffs Office___________
Case Number: __1987-21-5-B12______________________________________
Evidence Holding Location: ___Evidence Lock 1________________
Item Evidence Description Date Initials Purpose for Removal/Tests
ID Performed
B12-1 Gauze - bloody 5/21/87 DNA testing
B12-2 Gauze pkg - unopened 5/21/87 DNA testing control
B12-3 X-Acto Knife Handle 5/21/87 Fingerprint analysis
B12-4 X-Acto Knife Blade blood 5/21/87 DNA testing
5/24/87 Fingerprint analysis
B12-5 X-Acto Knife Blade new in 5/21/87 DNA testing control
package
B12-6 Plastic kitchen can liner 5/23/87 Trace analysis/DNA testing
stained with blood
B12-7 Ear Flap (inside can liner) 5/23/87 DNA testing
B12-8 Used latex glove (inside can 5/23/87 Fingerprint Analysis
liner)
B12-9 Used latex glove (floor next to 5/23/87 DNA testing
trash)
B12-10 Stained tee-shirt, blue, x-lg 5/23/87 DNA testing
Item ID: B12-1 Removal Date: 5/21/87 Receipt Date____5/21/87______
By ____Sarra Lord_________________ By ___Russel Black__________________
Release Sign ______________________ Receipt Sign: ______________________
Item ID:_B12-2__Removal Date: 5/21/87 Receipt Date____5/21/87______
By ____Sarra Lord_________________ By __Russel Black___________________
Release Sign ______________________ Receipt Sign: ______________________
Item ID_B12-3_ Removal Date: 5/21/87 Receipt Date___5/21/87_______
By ____Sarra Lord_________________ By _Jane Gioodan______________
Release Sign ______________________ Receipt Sign: ______________________
Item ID_B12-4_Removal Date_5/21/87_ Receipt Date___5/21/87_______
By ____Sarra Lord_________________ By __Russel Black___________________
Release Sign ______________________ Receipt Sign: ______________________
Item ID_B12-5 Removal Date_5/21/87_ Receipt Date____5/21/87______
By ____Sarra Lord_________________ By __Russel Black___________________
Release Sign ______________________ Receipt Sign: ______________________
Item ID_B12-6_ Removal Date_5/23/87_ Receipt Date___5/23/87_______
By ____Sarra Lord_________________ By __Russel Black___________________
Running head: EVIDENCE LOG 5
Item ID_B12-7__ Removal Date_5/23/87_ Receipt Date___5/23/87_______
By ____Sarra Lord_________________ By __Russel Black______________
Item ID_B12-8__ Removal Date_5/23/87 Receipt Date __5/23/87________
By ____Sarra Lord_________________ By _Jane Gioodan______________
Release Sign ______________________ Receipt Sign: ______________________
Item ID_B12-9___ Removal Date 5/23/87_ Receipt Date__5/23/87_______
By ____Sarra Lord_________________ By __Russel Black___________________
Release Sign ______________________ Receipt Sign: ______________________
Item ID_B12-10_ Removal Date 5/23/87_ Receipt Date___5/23/87____
By ____Sarra Lord_________________ By __Russel Black___________________
Release Sign ______________________ Receipt Sign: ______________________
Item ID_B12-4_Removal Date_5/24/87_ Receipt Date___5/24/87_______
By ____Russel Black_______________ By __Jane Gioodan___________________
Release Sign ______________________ Receipt Sign: ______________________
Running head: EVIDENCE LOG 6
References
Michigan State University. (2017). Bell v. State. Retrieved November 7, 2017, from
https://www.animallaw.info/case/bell-v-state
