I know we have lots of expertise on this forum, so I have a question.

I know that there's some kind of forensic test they can do to determine if you've fired a firearm recently.

Would it be possible to wash that stuff off, say in a prison cell washbasin - off yourself and your clothes?

My daughter's working on an innocence project where that was the prosecution's excuse for why the convicted guy had no gunpowder residue on his clothes or his body.

Don't know how they explained how the other guy in the van did have gunpowder residue.

Any opinions?

Gunshot residue, an introductory lesson.

GSR does not directly test for powder nitrate residue, but for three metals, which can come from other sources.........
http://www.nacdl.org/public.nsf/01c1e7698280d20385256d0...05fafe5?OpenDocument

Gunshot residue analysis is a hoax. It is another example of FBI Junk Science.

The FBI ceased testing for gunshot residue at its lab in Quantico, Va. Agents were unable to prevent the lead-rich powder from drifting into its laboratory space, potentially contaminating samples.

"Gunshot residue lacks scientific backing and has no place in a courtroom." - District Judge Sharon Hall, State of Minnesota vs. J M, 25, M V, 26, S V, 20, C Y, 22, and G Y.


If you are concerned about gunshot residue just wash your hands and clothing in a vinegar solution.

The premiss is you must be guilty, having retained the residue, unless you have a history of discharging firearms for fun.

Ah ha! You tested positive!

So what? I shoot all the time.

I might use a dilution of bleach. It's effective, easily obtainable and a common cleaning product.

Any good phosphate detergent does quite well. If it's been banned in your area, look in the wallpaper prep area at Lowes or find commercial laundry washing powder -- say like in the prison laundry. Trisodium polyphosphate (easy for me to say!) or TSP is a sequestering agent used to abate lead and other heavy metals. Vinegar or other mild acidic soutions work fairly well, but TSP is best for many heavy metals. Remember that if you cast or handload cast bullets...it's the ideal thing to wash up with. Lye soap ain't bad either.

Tell your daughter from me that she is doing God's work.

Nothing more foul than an innocent man in prison.

At first I was afraid this was a clever way to help Wayne02 cover his tracks if things go awry with his heist.

Thanks to all from my daughter.

She read the posts, skimmed the article, called the author, and he wants to see the file. It only took her 15 minutes.

She's only a law student, so she's got to get her teacher to sign off on that, but the emails are already sent to her.

Makes me very proud of her, both what she's doing, and the businesslike way she's going about it.

Probably an unfortunate pun in the circumstances, but she's developing a good killer instinct.

quote:

Originally posted by glypnir:
Thanks to all from my daughter.

She read the posts, skimmed the article, called the author, and he wants to see the file. It only took her 15 minutes.

She's only a law student, so she's got to get her teacher to sign off on that, but the emails are already sent to her.

Makes me very proud of her, both what she's doing, and the businesslike way she's going about it.

Probably an unfortunate pun in the circumstances, but she's developing a good killer instinct.

Sounds like she might turn into that most reviled species, "the criminal defense lawyer". Good for her-