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Citation
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Kerkhoff W, Bolck A, Alberink I, Mattijssen EJAT, Hermsen R, Riva F. Forensic Sci. Int. 2021; ePub(ePub): ePub. |
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Abstract
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To the authors regret, an error was found in the paper mentioned above.
The results presented in that paper were not in line with other experiments in our later studies. The noted discrepancy lead to a partial reproduction of the earlier study (using the original material and set-up) and to a review of the original protocol and dataset. Doing so, we discovered an error.
The deflection angles in the paper were based on an incorrect distance between the soft tissue simulants (gelatine blocks) and the witness panel of 200cm (as written in the paper) instead of the correct distance of 500 cm. As a consequence of the error, all deflection angles stated are too high, by an approximate margin of 2.5. The highlights, abstract, methods & materials (save the reference to the 200 cm 2 m distance between the gelatine blocks and the 400 cm distance between the muzzle and the witness panel) and the key parts of the discussion and conclusions are still valid. As a consequence of the error, the absolute angles denoted in Fig. 3, Fig. 4, Fig. 5, Fig. 6 and in Table 2 are incorrect. The corrected figures and table are presented below. The absolute angles in the first seven sentences of the conclusion are also incorrect. The corrected sentences read: "All but 4 of the 80 shots fired through 5 cm tissue simulant displayed absolute deflection angles of less than 1°. Given the mean deflection of 0.15° for all 0 cm-shots, the 'added' deflection caused by the tissue simulants is less than 1° in 95% of these shots. All but 3 of the 80 shots fired through 10 cm tissue simulant displayed an absolute deflection angle of less than 2.5°. These values might be used when assessing deflection after short, perforating wounds (e.g. through limbs) with full metal jacket pistol bullets having properties similar to those in Table 1, at incidence and exit angles between 45° and 90°. Deflection after 15 and 20 cm tissue simulant was more erratic, ranging from a mean absolute deflection angle of 0.18° (virtually no added deflection) to 6.49°, depending on the firearm/ammunition combination, incidence and exit angle and channel length. When fired through 25 cm tissue simulant, the mean absolute deflection angles of 7 out of the 8 firearm/ammunition combinations and block types exceeded 3.99°. Both the erratic nature of deflection after 15 and 20 cm tissue simulant perforation and the general tendency of the majority of the bullets to deflect over 3.99° after 25 cm of simulant perforation should be taken into account when assessing wound channels of these lengths in casework."....
Language: en |