Chapter 14 Notes Part 1
James Earl Ray: Conspirator or
Lone Gunman?

In 1968, James Earl Ray was arrested
for the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther
King, Jr.
James Earl Ray: Conspirator or
Lone Gunman?

Like most high profile cases, speculation
has swirled around the motives and
connections of James Earl Ray.
James Earl Ray: Conspirator or
Lone Gunman?

Ray was a career criminal who was
serving time for armed robbery when he
escaped from the Missouri State Prison.
James Earl Ray: Conspirator or
Lone Gunman?

On April 4, 1968, Ray rented a room at
Bessie Brewer’s Rooming House in
Memphis, Tennessee, across the street
from where Dr. Martin Luther King was
staying.
James Earl Ray: Conspirator or
Lone Gunman?

At 6:00 pm, Dr. King left his second
story motel room and stepped onto the
balcony.
James Earl Ray: Conspirator or
Lone Gunman?

Shots rang out, and the civil rights
activist was fatally struck.
James Earl Ray: Conspirator or
Lone Gunman?
Dr. King was pronounced dead at 7:05
pm.
 The shooter left a blanket covered
package in front of a nearby building
and drove off in a white mustang.

James Earl Ray: Conspirator or
Lone Gunman?
In the package was a rifle with scope, a
radio, clothes, binoculars, beer cans,
and a receipt for the binoculars.
 The mustang was found a week later in
Atlanta, Georgia.

James Earl Ray: Conspirator or
Lone Gunman?
Ray’s fingerprints were found on the
rifle, binoculars, and beer cans.
 In 1969, he pled guilty in exchange for a
sentence of 99 years.

James Earl Ray: Conspirator or
Lone Gunman?
There are a variety of conspiracy
theories surrounding this crime.
 However, fingerprints place the murder
weapon directly in the hands of James
Earl Ray.

James Earl Ray: Conspirator or
Lone Gunman?

He took back his confession and
maintained his innocence until he died
of Hepatitis C in 1998.
History of Fingerprinting

Since the beginning of criminal
investigations, police have sought a
failproof method of human identification.
History of Fingerprinting

The first attempt at a personal
identification system was developed by
Alphonse Bertillon in 1883.
History of Fingerprinting

The system used a detailed description
of the subject with full length and profile
photographs along with a system of
precise body measurements.
History of Fingerprinting

This system of precise body
measurements was known as
anthropometry.
History of Fingerprinting
For 20 years, this was the most accurate
system available to police.
 In the early 1900’s, police became
aware of the usefulness of finger ridge
patterns known as fingerprints.

History of Fingerprinting

The Chinese used fingerprints to sign
legal documents as far back as three
thousand years ago.
History of Fingerprinting

However, it is unknown if they were
aware of the individual nature of
fingerprints.
History of Fingerprinting
In 1880, Henry Fauld suggested that
skin ridge patterns could be useful for
the identification of criminals.
 His suggestion was rejected in favor of
Bertillon’s system.
 20 years later, this decision was
reversed.

History of Fingerprinting

In 1892, Francis Galton published a
book called Finger Prints which
presented extensive research on the
nature of fingerprints and suggested
methods for recording them.
History of Fingerprinting
Galton’s work was adapted into a usable
concept by an Argentinian police officer
named Dr. Juan Vucetich.
 His adaptation is still used in most
Spanish speaking countries.

History of Fingerprinting

In 1897, Sir Edward Richard Henry
developed another system for
classifying fingerprints, which is used in
most English-speaking countries today.
History of Fingerprinting

Bertillon’s system of body
measurements began falling out of favor
in the early 1900’s because it was very
susceptible to error.
History of Fingerprinting
At the World’s Fair in 1904, American
police officers received official
instruction in fingerprint identification.
 By 1924, fingerprinting was the main
tool used by the FBI for identification.

Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

There are 3 basic principles of
fingerprinting that encompass the
uniqueness and stability of fingerprint
identification. They are…
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

1. A fingerprint is an individual
characteristic; no two fingers have yet
been found to possess identical ridge
characteristics.
 The FBI has 50 million fingerprint records
and no two have yet to be found to be
identical.
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

The individuality of a fingerprint is
determined by a careful study of its ridge
characteristics (also known as minutiae).
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

If two fingerprints are to match, they
must reveal characteristics that are not
only identical but have the same relative
location to one another.
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

In court, a thorough point by point
comparison must be demonstrated by
the expert witness.
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

8-16 matching ridge characteristic
locations must be identified to be
considered a match.
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

2. A fingerprint remains unchanged
during an individual’s lifetime.
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

It is impossible to change one’s
fingerprints, though they can be
obscured by deep scarring or burning.
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints
Ultimately this doesn’t work.
 Scars are distinctive and become an
additional way of identifying the
individual.

Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

John Dillinger, a notorious gangster,
attempted to destroy his own fingerprints
by applying corrosive acid to them.
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

Despite being slightly obscured, police
were still able to positively match his
fingerprints.
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints
 3.
Fingerprints have general ridge
patterns that permit them to be
systematically classified.
 All fingerprints are divided into 3
classes: loops, whorls, and arches.
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

60-65% of the population have loops
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

A loop must have one or more ridges
entering from one side of the print,
recurving, and exiting from the same
side.
 If the loop opens toward the pinky of the
hand, it is called an ulnar loop.
 If the loop opens toward the thumb of the
hand, it is called a radial loop.
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints
The loop is surrounded by two diverging
ridges known as type lines.
 The point of divergence of the two type
lines is called the delta.

Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

The core is the center of the loop
pattern.
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

30-35% of the population have whorls.
 There are four groups of whorls: plain,
central pocket loop, double loop, and
accidental.
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

All whorl patterns have type lines and at
least two deltas.
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

A plain whorl and a central pocket loop
have at least one ridge that makes a
complete circle (or oval, etc.)
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints
If a line drawn between the two deltas
touches the complete circle, it is a plain
whorl.
 If the line does not touch the circle it is a
central pocket loop.

Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

A double loop is two loops combined
into one fingerprint.
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

An accidental either contains two or
more patterns or is a pattern not
covered by other categories.
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

5% of the population have arches.
 Arches are subdivided into two distinct
groups: plain arches and tented arches.
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

The plain arch is formed by ridges
entering from one side and exiting on
the opposite side.
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

The tented arch is similar to the plain
arch except there is a sharp spike along
the ridges.
Fundamental Principles of
Fingerprints

Arches do not have type lines, deltas, or
cores.
Review
1. Fingerprints are divided into 3 basic
classes:
A. loops, whorls, and arches
B. loops, swirls, and circles
C. lines, whorls, and hooks
D. lines, swirls, and arcs
Review
2. Whorls are divided into how many
distinct groups:
A. 3
B. 2
C. 4
D. 5
Review
3. Attempts at changing one’s fingerprints by trying to
obscure them has led to:
A. renewed efforts on the part of law enforcement to
categorize the obliterated fingerprints.
B. self-injurious behavior that only results in the growth
of new ridge characteristics on the fingertips.
C. the possibility of permanent scarring which only
provides new characteristics for identification
purpose since it is impossible to obliterate all ridge
characteristics.
D. the creation of a new class of criminal who can
avoid detection through currently available
fingerprinting technology.