Megan Fletcher — Direct/Voir Dire
513 linesMR. MEADORS: The State of South Carolina would now call forensic scientist Megan M. Fletcher.
The witness, MEGAN FLETCHER, was first duly sworn and testified as follows:
COURT CLERK: Take a seat in the witness stand. State your name again for the record. Spell your last name.
MEGAN FLETCHER: My name is Megan Fletcher, F-l-e-t-c-h-e-r.
VOIR DIRE EXAMINATION
BY MR. MEADORS:
MR. MEADORS: Good afternoon, Ms. Fletcher.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Good afternoon.
MR. MEADORS: With the Court's permission, we're going to end day twelve, okay?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Would you please tell the ladies and gentlemen of the jury about yourself, but also your background, your training, and your training in the field of expertise I'll ask you to testify about here today, please.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir. So, I grew up in Ohio; I was born and raised there. After I graduated from high school I attended Chatham College in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I graduated from there in 2005 with my Bachelor's Degree in biochemistry and English. After that I went to Marshall University where I obtained my Master's in forensic science, emphasizing in computer forensics, and forensic chemistry in 2007. I then started my career at SLED in 2007 as well where I started my training to become a trace evidence analyst in the Forensic Services Laboratory. And the first thing that I started training in was gunshot primer residue analysis.
MR. MEADORS: Why did you come to South Carolina?
MEGAN FLETCHER: For the job.
MR. MEADORS: Did you have any relatives here or family?
MEGAN FLETCHER: I do, but it was really for the job. Trace evidence was always kind of my dream job.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. So, tell us some more about trace evidence and your training and your background and what you love about it.
MEGAN FLETCHER: So, trace evidence is a type of evidence that you can't typically see with the naked eye, so you need a microscope or other types of instrumentation to be able to detect it. For trace evidence in the Forensics Services Laboratory at SLED, we consider explosives, fire debris, fibers, glass, gunshot primer residue, paint, fibers, physical fit analysis, pressure sensitive tape, and general physical and chemical unknowns, all different types of trace evidence.
MR. MEADORS: Specifically in the field of gunshot primer residence (sic), tell us about your training, your experience, and what has led you to this point where I'm going to offer you for an expert in just a minute.
MEGAN FLETCHER: So, in 2007 I started my career. I started my training at that point. I began an eleven month training program for gunshot primer residue analysis; it's an in-house training program that consists of practical, written, and oral examinations in the theory of gunshot primer residue, as well as the instrumentation used to analyze that type of evidence.
MR. MEADORS: So, what is it?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Gunshot primer residue -- well, let's start with gunshot residue. Gunshot residue is everything that comes out of a gun when it's fired. That's the smoke, the soot, the flame, burned and unburned gunpowder particles, but also something called gunshot primer residue, and that's what we're looking for at the Trace Evidence Lab. Gunshot primer residue particles are microscopic molten particles that contain the elements lead, barium and antimony. They come from the primer component of the cartridge.
MR. MEADORS: And can you explain some more? How do you examine it? What do you do to determine if there's gunshot primer residue?
MEGAN FLETCHER: So, I believe that you've already heard about how gunshot primer residue is collected. It's collected using those particle lifts with the sticky surfaces. Once I get those particle lifts in the lab, I will then examine them on a scanning electron microscope with an energy expersive -- I'm sorry, dispersive X-ray detector. So, an SEM EDX.
MR. MEADORS: And what's the second thing you said, SAM (sic) and what did you say after that?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Energy dispersive X-ray detector.
MR. MEADORS: And what is that?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Well, the scanning electro microscope is a super powerful microscope. You might be used to a light microscope that you might have used in school, and that might magnify something around 400 times. The scanning electron microscope uses electrons instead, and so we can magnify things 30,000, 50,000 times. The energy dispersive X-ray detector allows us to analyze a sample for which elements are actually present in the sample. So, the SEM component, the microscope component, allows us to see a sample and analyze the shape and the morphology of a given sample. But the EDX component allows us to see what elements are actually present in that individual sample.
MR. MEADORS: Now, when I first started years ago, we were just looking for the three elements. How has that changed over the years in your specific field?
MEGAN FLETCHER: So, currently we are looking for characteristic particles of gunshot primer residue. It's a singular particle that contains all three elements of lead, barium, and antimony. It can't be a particle that contains one or two of those elements; it has to contain all three of those.
MR. MEADORS: And that didn't used to be the case, did it?
MEGAN FLETCHER: No, sir, it did not.
MR. MEADORS: So, it's got to contain all three of them.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Before you'll clarify that it's -- what -- or you'll determine it's what?
MEGAN FLETCHER: I'm sorry?
MR. MEADORS: Before you will determine it is, what -- just clarify, kind of clarify it's got to contain all three of them. Go ahead.
MEGAN FLETCHER: It has to -- it has to be microscopic, it has to be molten, and it has to contain lead, barium, and antimony, in order for me to report it as characteristic of gunshot primer residue.
MR. MEADORS: And I know everybody knows except me, but what's molten?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Molten appears to be rounded in shape. It looks like it underwent high heat and pressure. Lots of times they're spherical, so like a ball, but sometimes they might look like a football. You just have to have, like, a rounded shape to the edges.
MR. MEADORS: And how does evidence get to you, forensic scientist Megan Fletcher? How does it actually come to you?
MEGAN FLETCHER: There's different circumstances, but typically evidence is submitted from a local agency, local agency, or SLED, and it's submitted through the Evidence Control Department. The Evidence Control Department assigns it a unique lab number, and each item of evidence is assigned an item at that time. It then is brought up to the trace lab by either myself or another analyst or a technician, and then it goes through the process of inventory and then analysis.
MR. MEADORS: How long have you been doing this?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Over fifteen years.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Do you love your job?
MEGAN FLETCHER: I do.
MR. MEADORS: And how many analyses have you performed?
MEGAN FLETCHER: I --
MR. MEADORS: In the field -- well, in trace evidence to start with.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Over 1,500 cases. Samples, well over 3,000.
MR. MEADORS: And have you been offered in courts of record of this state, and other states perhaps, as an expert in the field of trace evidence and gunshot primer and residue, and have you been so accepted in courts of record in the state as an expert in trace evidence and gunshot primer residue?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir, forty-nine times.
MR. MEADORS: Your Honor, at this time the State of South Carolina would offer forensic scientist Megan M. Fletcher as an expert in the field of trace evidence to include gunshot primer residue.
JUDGE NEWMAN: What says the defense?
MR. GRIFFIN: We have no objection to her making it fifty times, Your Honor.
MR. MEADORS: And we thank you.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Ladies and gentlemen, she is so qualified in the field of trace evidence and gunshot primer residue.
DIRECT EXAMINATION
BY MR. MEADORS:
MR. MEADORS: Why do you love your job?
MEGAN FLETCHER: I just find it really interesting. With trace evidence I get to analyze different types of evidence. My daily job duties can change depending on what needs to be done that day.
MR. MEADORS: Let's go over some just -- I don't know if the right word is basic, but on a live person, a human being --
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: -- blood flowing.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Is there a period of time after which SLED's guidelines say we won't to try to determine if there's gunshot primer residue on somebody?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: What is that?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Beyond 6 hours we will not analyze a GSR kit from a living individual. And the reason that we will not analyze that is because in-house studies as well as peer reviewed published studies have shown that gunshot residue so readily transfers and so readily -- is so readily removed around 4 to 6 hours, that beyond 6 hours it couldn't be tied back to initials -- to an initial incident.
MR. MEADORS: And what's the common sense answer why that's -- you won't do it after 6 hours?
MEGAN FLETCHER: So if you shoot a gun, as soon as you put that gun down, you essentially start to remove those gunshot primer residue particles. They aren't destroyed, but you're simply transferring them to other objects. You might be putting your hands in your pocket. You might touch a steering wheel. You might wash your hands and that would remove most, if not all, of the particles. So, beyond that 4 hours, you're really looking at the total removal of those particles.
MR. MEADORS: So, if you didn't wash your hands, just everyday living or touching, could after over 4 hours you wouldn't want to -- or 6 hours I think you said it is now.
MEGAN FLETCHER: 6 hours is our policy, but an in-house study with controlled participants where we informed them that they weren't allowed to wash their hands and told them to basically stick to clerical work, we really saw that drop off around 4 hours.
MR. MEADORS: If you did wash your hands, and you know somebody washed their hands, they told you, hey, I washed my hands, would you test it?
MEGAN FLETCHER: We would.
MR. MEADORS: But would you expect most of it to be gone at that point from washing your hands?
MEGAN FLETCHER: It depends on how well you wash your hands. We expect most of it to be gone, but we've seen it to still be present even after somebody has washed their hands.
MR. MEADORS: And you did a little bit but if you can do a little bit more for me, gunshot primer residue, is there a certain -- I mean, how do you determine -- is there a certain distance, vicinity shooting? I mean, what are you looking for in determining whether gunshot residue is present and whether someone is in the vicinity to get it?
MEGAN FLETCHER: So, really what we're trying to determine when we're looking for gunshot primer residue is, one, were they in the vicinity to the discharge of a firearm. Were they shooting a firearm, or is it simply transfer. And in most cases we can't determine whether it's vicinity, which includes shooting, or it's simply transfer.
MR. MEADORS: Discharge vicinity would just mean are you close to it?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yeah. So, vicinity can be 2 to 3 feet to either side of the shooter and outwards of about 60 feet in front of the shooter.
MR. MEADORS: Discharge vicinity and transfer, what do you mean by transfer?
MEGAN FLETCHER: So, you can get -- you can get gunshot residue on your hands from an object that already has gunshot residue on it, or from a person who has gunshot residue on them. So, if somebody else shoots a gun and you shake their hands, you could get gunshot residue on your hand that way. You could also touch a recently fired or a dirty weapon and get gunshot residue on your hands that way.
MR. MEADORS: So, if I was -- if you had just fired a firearm and I came up to shake your hand, could I get it from that?
MEGAN FLETCHER: That is possible.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. If I reached under to grab you to turn you, could I get it if you had been shot with gunshot residue?
MEGAN FLETCHER: So, gunshot residue does travel with the path of the bullet, so we do expect to find it on victims who have sustained gunshot wounds, and around that gunshot wound specifically we do expect to find gunshot primer residue particles. So, if you touched that area, there is the possibility of transfer.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and again, if you don't mind me touching you on the arm, if you had gunshot residue on your arm and I did that, could I get it?
MEGAN FLETCHER: That is a possibility as well.
MR. MEADORS: And what's that called?
MEGAN FLETCHER: So, in that case that would be a secondary or tertiary transfer.
MR. MEADORS: Transfer.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: From one item to me.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And the other way is if I fired a firearm.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And if I fired a firearm, where would you -- or where do you look for to see if somebody has fired a firearm based on what they're wearing? Like if I was wearing this right now and fired something in here and you had this jacket, where would you look for potential gunshot residue?
MEGAN FLETCHER: So, if I knew that that was what you were wearing at the time of the shooting, we would sample from the right sleeve of the jacket, the right chest area of the jacket, the left sleeve of the jacket, and the left chest area of the jacket. We may also want to sample the tie because it's center on your chest, and then the right side of your pants and the left side of your pants. And then your shoes are also a possibility.
MR. MEADORS: Why is that?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Because your shoes are also in the vicinity to the discharge of a firearm. Sometimes we get results off of them; sometimes we don't.
MR. MEADORS: And would you test my hands?
MEGAN FLETCHER: That would be the best evidence is the hands because the hands will allow us to link it to a specific incident within 6 hours, whereas clothing, we can't tell you when it got there. And that's because on an inanimate object such as clothing, that gunshot primer residue is going to stay until it's actively removed. So, you would have to brush it off; you would have to wash it off. You would have to do some activity to actually remove it from the clothing.
MR. MEADORS: And that was the next thing I was going to get into but you beat me to it. So -- but if I had just shot and washed my hands off, eventually I could have washed it all, gunshot primer -- gunshot primer residue off, correct?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Correct.
MR. MEADORS: All right, but on inanimate objects, and you just said it, and I apologize. How long can gunshot residue stay on it?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Indefinitely if it just -- if you don't touch it, if you're not actively moving it around or washing it, it can stay until it's removed.
MR. MEADORS: Now, let's just say I'm dead. Okay?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Okay.
MR. MEADORS: And I got shot just a few feet -- you shot me from right here. Okay?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Okay.
MR. MEADORS: I fall down. Would you expect to have gunshot residue on me?
MEGAN FLETCHER: It depends on the firearm, but in general, yes.
MR. MEADORS: And why is that?
MEGAN FLETCHER: So, the gunshot primer residue comes out. A large majority of the gunshot primer residue comes out the muzzle of the firearm, and not only does it come out the muzzle of the firearm, but it also follows the path of the bullet. And so wherever that bullet is going, it's going to follow behind it.
MR. MEADORS: All right, and the follow up to that is do -- is it SLED's recommendation -- now if, you know, like me, I've been shot, do y'all test for gunshot, or will you test for gunshot residue on a deceased person who you know has been killed with a firearm?
MEGAN FLETCHER: SLED will not test on victims who have sustained gunshot wounds, and we have not been testing on those victims since January of 2022.
MR. MEADORS: And prior to that, was it your policy not to do that, or recommend to local law enforcement agencies not to do that?
MEGAN FLETCHER: We didn't have an official policy, but we were recommending it due to the lack of probative information that you can gain from it.
MR. MEADORS: And just say that one more time. What do you mean by the lack of probative information?
MEGAN FLETCHER: So like I said before, gunshot residue can only put somebody in the vicinity to the discharge of a firearm, or it could say that they transferred gunshot residue on them, so it's just putting gunshot primer residue on them. A victim is already -- of a gunshot wound has already been established to be in the vicinity to the discharge of a firearm, so it doesn't add any additional information to the case.
MR. MEADORS: Now, there's still other items like stippling, which you're not -- do you know about stippling based on your field of expertise?
MEGAN FLETCHER: That's not in my field of expertise.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Now, let's get to this case, forensic scientist Megan Fletcher. Did you have an occasion to examine some items for potential gunshot primer residue?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. MEADORS: And I'm thinking we have these marked so I can find them. And I'm going to try to take these on the date, the order that you -- chronological order of when you examined them.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Okay.
MR. MEADORS: Do you follow me?
MEGAN FLETCHER: I do.
MR. MEADORS: And I'm going to show you what's marked as State's 418. Do you want -- do you like gloves?
MEGAN FLETCHER: I have some with me.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and I think we also have some here. I thought we have a whole box here.
MEGAN FLETCHER: I think they're on the floor.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. MEADORS: And why are you using gloves?
MEGAN FLETCHER: I use gloves to protect myself and to protect the evidence. It's -- I don't want to put any of my DNA or any -- anything that might be on myself onto the evidence, and I don't want anything that might be on the evidence on me.
MR. MEADORS: And not just gloves in your laboratory. And I apologize -- I didn't bring one -- but do you wear a lab coat?
MEGAN FLETCHER: When we process clothing, we do wear lab coats and that helps protect us from -- our regular clothes from transferring over any evidence onto -- or not evidence, but any materials over onto the evidence.
MR. MEADORS: And that's to protect -- that's to protect the evidence really as much as you, isn't it?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. So, you have a lab coat and gloves before you start looking at these items.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Well, this also has a DNA request on it. Usually the requests are also on the outside of the box.
MR. MEADORS: So, the answer is yes, you have your white coat and gloves on when you are in the lab looking at these.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, but because it has a DNA request, we also have a mask on.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. You have a mask in addition to that.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Please open 418 and tell the jury what it is.
(Break in proceedings.)
MEGAN FLETCHER: This is lab L21-09074, Item 19. I recognize it with our yellow bar code sticker. And this is SLED Lab Number L21-09074, Item Number 20, again, with our yellow bar code sticker.
MR. MEADORS: And what date did you examine these?
MEGAN FLETCHER: I didn't physically examine these items. Jamie Hall would have taken the particle lifts off of these items, so her initials and date would be on everything. But the date that she did that would have been June 8th.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and when did you actually look at them?
MEGAN FLETCHER: I looked at the -- she did call me in while she was processing them, but I didn't physically take chain -- or custody of these items.
MR. MEADORS: And I understand that. Maybe I was jumping ahead in my mind. Did you have an occasion when Jamie Hall was processing -- you say she call you in there?
MEGAN FLETCHER: She did.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. Why?
MEGAN FLETCHER: She smelled something rather unusual for our evidence. Our evidence is usually pretty musky smelling, and when she opened up Item 19, which is the white t-shirt, she did smell a strong odor of laundry detergent, and I did confirm that with her.
MR. MEADORS: So, she smelled that, said, hey, come in here. I want you to see this or whatever. Did you have -- could you smell it?
MEGAN FLETCHER: I could smell the laundry detergent as well.
MR. MEADORS: Smelled like laundry detergent.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Did you also -- she took a sample from there, a lift if you will, so you were examining the lifts off the shirt, correct?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Correct.
MR. MEADORS: And the pants.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Correct.
MR. MEADORS: Did you also get to look at the pants that day on June 8th when Ms. Hall looked at them?
MEGAN FLETCHER: I don't remember if I was in there when she processed the shorts, but I have seen pictures of -- that she took of the shorts.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and can you describe the shirt and the shorts when you saw them, pictures of them?
MEGAN FLETCHER: The shirt is a white t-shirt. There is some staining on the lower left hand side, but relatively clean. The green cargo shorts are clean.
MR. MEADORS: Now, what did you do -- and while we're here, did you also receive the --
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. MEADORS: Forensic scientist, let's start with the shirt.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Okay.
MR. MEADORS: Tell the jury specifically -- and we got all of that. Tell them specifically. What did you do when you examined the particle lifts from that shirt?
MEGAN FLETCHER: The particle lifts were analyzed on the scanning electron microscope. And how we do that in our lab, and how most laboratories throughout the world actually do it, is use a software program to help us out, and that's because the particles that we're looking at are so small. If you can imagine two football fields, we're actually looking for particles the size of a pea on those two particle -- on football fields. So, we use a software that does a little bit of an automated analysis, and that automated analysis uses brightness in contrast that's associated with known particles of gunshot primer residue, and it does that automated analysis overnight for us. And in the next day or over the weekend, whatever it is, we come in, and then it provides us a list of candidate features. It tells us what features that it thinks contain the elements lead, barium, and antimony. As the analyst, I then look at those features. I relocate to them on the SEM. So, I physically drive the SEM back to that -- to the location that it saved. I look at the particle and make sure that it's molten in nature, and then I use the energy dispersive X-ray detector to scan the particle to determine whether lead, barium, and antimony are present.
MR. MEADORS: And I think Ms. Hall described where she took the particle lifts from. And did you determine whether any gunshot residue -- what did you find on the shirt?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Particles characteristic of gunshot primer residue were found. Particles characteristic of gunshot primer residue are microscopic molten particles that contain the elements lead, barium, and antimony.
MR. MEADORS: And it can come from --
MEGAN FLETCHER: It can come from being in the vicinity to the discharge of a firearm, or being transferred from an object that has gunshot primer residue on it. No timeframe can be provided as to when these particles were tran -- deposited.
MR. MEADORS: And as far as 418 in evidence, the shirt, can you tell where the particle lifts were? Like from the right sleeve, right chest side?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Can I refer to my notes, please?
MR. MEADORS: Please. I think His Honor will let you.
(Break in proceedings.)
MEGAN FLETCHER: So, for the white t-shirt from the particle lift that was collected from the right sleeve, right chest area, two particles characteristic of gunshot primer residue were found. And from the left sleeve, left chest area, the particle lift collected from there, one particle characteristic of gunshot primer residue were -- was found. Those particle lifts are combined into one result for a result of multiple particles.
MR. MEADORS: What does that mean there, two particle lifts? I mean, as far as the amount of particles you found, what does that mean in your field of expertise?
MEGAN FLETCHER: My opinion is that that object, this t-shirt, was either in the vicinity to the discharge of a firearm, or came into contact with something that had gunshot primer residue on it. I can't tell you the likelihood which one is more likely to have happened.
MR. MEADORS: And that's, that's, that's, that's your opinion, correct?
MEGAN FLETCHER: That's my opinion.
MR. MEADORS: Now, also in 418 -- and again, these were the defendant's shirts, pants, clothes, I mean, and shoes that we're going to get to in a minute that you were examining, correct?
MEGAN FLETCHER: That's my understanding, yes.
MR. MEADORS: That's what the chain showed.
MEGAN FLETCHER: That's what the submission showed, yes.
MR. MEADORS: Submission, thank you. Now, let's go to the pants. Did you have on occasion to examine the particle lifts that Ms. Hall did?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and again, and we may not go through this every time, but can you tell the jury what you did again when you were examining the particle lifts, please?
MEGAN FLETCHER: So, the particle lifts from the shorts were analyzed the same way as the particle lifts from the shirt, the same way that we analyze every particle lift that's submitted for gunshot primer residue, or collected for gunshot primer residue. It goes through the automated process. I go in, I confirm that there are particles present or that there aren't particles present.
MR. MEADORS: Can you tell me, did you locate any particles and where they were on the shorts, please?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir. On the right side, right groin area there were two particles located and confirmed. And then on the left groin area there was one particle located and confirmed.
MR. MEADORS: And you issued a report. What's your -- what are your findings as a result of finding these particle lifts on the shorts that the submission slip says belonged to the defendant on State's 418? What was your opinion?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Particles characteristic of gunshot primer residue were found. Again, my opinion is that they were -- these -- this pair of shorts were either in the vicinity to the discharge of a firearm, or it came in contact with something that had gunshot primer residue on it. Again, I can't tell you which is more likely, and I can't tell you when those particles were deposited.
MR. MEADORS: So, they could have come from a transfer, holding a gun and then putting it on your pants?
MEGAN FLETCHER: That's correct.
MR. MEADORS: Could have come from being in the vicinity of the shot?
MEGAN FLETCHER: That's correct.
MR. MEADORS: Could it have come from discharging it?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Well, the shorts themselves can't discharge, so on an inanimate object we just say that they're in the vicinity to the discharge.
MR. MEADORS: That's what I meant to say, the vicinity of a discharge.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Obviously they can't discharge it, respectfully. Now, did you have an occasion to examine the lifts from Alex, Mr. Murdaugh's, hands that were listed by Varnadoe, I believe?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. MEADORS: And they're already in evidence. And you basically, after Jamie Hall says, hey, these were all done, right, they then go to you, right?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: These are already in evidence.
MEGAN FLETCHER: That's not the GSR kits.
MR. MEADORS: Anyway, I don't think we need this in evidence. Did you have an occasion to examine the GSR kit?
MEGAN FLETCHER: I did.
MR. MEADORS: That was taken from Alex Murdaugh?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. MEADORS: And did you know -- you talked about that four hour, six hour period. Again was that checked, or did you make sure that that was collected in the time period or you wouldn't have performed your examination?
MEGAN FLETCHER: That's correct. Not only is it checked by the person inventorying -- in this case Jamie Hall -- before I will sign off on the inventory sheet, I also doublecheck the GSR information form. That GSR information form that is included in the kit is also scanned, so we retain a record of it so that I can go back and doublecheck that it was within the 6 hours.
MR. MEADORS: So, you did check.
MEGAN FLETCHER: I did.
MR. MEADORS: What was your -- did your examination conclude as far as the particle lift that was taken from the defendant, Alex Murdaugh?
MEGAN FLETCHER: So, one particle lift was collected from his right hand and one from his left hand. One particle characteristic of gunshot primer residue was found. In general, particles characteristic of gunshot primer residue are microscopic molten particles that contain the elements lead, barium, and antimony. Gunshot primer residue can come from the discharging of a firearm, being in the vicinity to the discharge a firearm, or coming into contact with a surface that has gunshot primer residue on it.
MR. MEADORS: And y'all are going to say that conclusion if it's got just a few particle lifts or a bunch of them, right?
MEGAN FLETCHER: I'm sorry. What --
MR. MEADORS: Just general conclusion, that's what you're going to find, that there were particle lifts and it can come from one of those three ways, right?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Discharge vicinity --
MEGAN FLETCHER: For hands, we have one of those three ways. For clothing, we only have the vicinity and the transfer.
MR. MEADORS: Right. So, was that consistent -- if I grabbed one of these firearms and handed it to an officer, would that be consistent with the -- your findings? You can get it from a transfer of the firearm?
MEGAN FLETCHER: You could get one particle from transferring from a firearm, yes.
MR. MEADORS: If you fired a firearm and washed your hands and then grabbed a firearm and handed it to a police officer, would that be consistent with that also?
MEGAN FLETCHER: You still had that transfer from the firearm. It didn't really matter what you did prior to that. You still could have had that one particle on your hands from that transfer from the firearm.
MR. MEADORS: Did you have an occasion to examine the shoes --
MEGAN FLETCHER: I did.
MR. MEADORS: -- the particle lifts from the shoes?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: State's 419. Have you still got your gloves on?
MEGAN FLETCHER: No, but I can put another pair on.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. MEADORS: And what were you provided regarding these shoes?
MEGAN FLETCHER: We were provided that these were the shoes collected from Richard A. Murdaugh.
MR. MEADORS: And did you -- were you able to -- were you able -- well, tell me what your examination from the particle lifts revealed, if anything.
MEGAN FLETCHER: No particles characteristic of gunshot primer residue were detected.
MR. MEADORS: How many?
MEGAN FLETCHER: None.
MR. MEADORS: None.
MEGAN FLETCHER: No, none.
MR. MEADORS: You know, the thing about the lab, did you really know about the -- do you know anything about the cases that you are -- I mean, at that point you're examining something, you don't know anything about who's wearing what or what you're examining, do you, or whose you're examining other than the submission slips?
MEGAN FLETCHER: No. I know who it is based on the submission sheet, which is important because it has to come from somebody who didn't sustain a gunshot wound.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and I got that. That was a bad question. Other than that, you don't know about the case or what evidence -- potential evidence, right?
MEGAN FLETCHER: I just know that it's a -- it was a priority request.
MR. MEADORS: And you don't know what shoes the potential suspect was wearing during the day, or how many shoes they were wearing, if they were even wearing shoes then.
MEGAN FLETCHER: No, sir.
MR. MEADORS: So, your results after finding no gunshot primer residue were what on your report? Will you read it like you recorded it?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir: No particles characteristic of gunshot primer residue detected. The absence of primer residue on the item is consistent with but not limited to the following scenarios: the item not being in the vicinity to the discharge of a firearm; cleaning of the item; excessive blood or debris on the item; environmental factors, including wind and rain. The ammunition discharged lead-free nontoxic, or some .22 caliber rimfire ammunition not producing particles characteristic of the conventional primer residue, or the primer -- or the firearm not producing primer residue on the item when discharged.
MR. MEADORS: So, at this point we've examined the shirt?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Shorts?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: Pants. Pants?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and shoes.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: And the dates you examined all of those again was what?
MEGAN FLETCHER: The date that they were placed on the scanning --
MR. MEADORS: The particles lifts that you examined.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes. The date they were placed on the Scanning electron microscope was June 8, 2021.
MR. MEADORS: June 8th.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And that's the same day that Jamie Hall smelled it, smelled the shirt.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: The same day you smelled the shirt.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Did you receive any other items in this investigation where you were requested to determine whether or not there was any gunshot primer residue?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and I want to show you now what's I believe, with everybody's help, State's Number 100, the seatbelt.
MR. MEADORS: Thank you very much.
MR. MEADORS: And you said a priority was placed on this case, right?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: I apologize. Do you sometimes -- or have you been present when Jamie Hall was doing the particle lifts, and have you actually assisted?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir. Especially if there is an abnormal item submitted for analysis.
MR. MEADORS: All right, and abnormal has got a lot of definitions, but in your world what does that abnormal mean?
MEGAN FLETCHER: So, typical items that we receive are obviously gunshot residue kits, but clothing items like t-shirts or hooded sweatshirts or pants or shorts or shoes, things that we can have a standard operating procedure for, those things we can say that we're going to collect from the same areas every single time. Other items are not so typical and then require a little bit more analysis on them.
MR. MEADORS: State's 100, is that an example of one of those?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes. A seatbelt would be an abnormal item.
MR. MEADORS: Do you know when you examined this?
MEGAN FLETCHER: The seatbelt was examined on September 1, 2021.
MR. MEADORS: And it's brought to your lab?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Correct.
MR. MEADORS: The director's lab, excuse me. And is this what you examined?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And did you actually assist Ms. Hall in attempting to get particle lifts off this?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir, I did.
MR. MEADORS: Okay. So, you were both in the room.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Correct.
MR. MEADORS: Gloves on?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: Jacket on?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: Mask on?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and can you tell these folks, can you help me tell them what this is and where you attempted to get particle lifts?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes. So, this is -- I had to Google this because I'm not super familiar with a seatbelt assembly. This is considered the buckle. This is the part that everybody sees in their vehicle. This bottom portion is what is in between the center console and the seat and not exposed when a person is sitting in the vehicle.
MR. MEADORS: So if I'm driving, is this going to be on my right side?
MEGAN FLETCHER: It should be on your right side, yes.
MR. MEADORS: And what is this?
MEGAN FLETCHER: So, I start here. The next part that everybody is familiar with is the latch plate, which goes into the buckle. And then there's an entire belt that goes into the retractor wheel.
MR. MEADORS: Can you pull it -- let's pull it. Don't let it go.
MEGAN FLETCHER: I got it.
MR. MEADORS: Where did y'all attempt -- you and Ms. Hall attempt to get particle lifts?
MEGAN FLETCHER: We -- so, we stretched it out as far as it would go and we took samples, three samples from the belt front -- or both sides, and we just divided it into three sections and took samples from those three sections.
MR. MEADORS: And this was an abnormal item that you assisted Ms. Hall with.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Will you please tell the ladies and gentlemen of this jury the results of your examination, if any?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir. One particle characteristic of gunshot primer residue was found, and general particles characteristic of gunshot primer residue or microscopic molten particles that contain the elements lead, barium, and antimony. Gunshot primer residue can come from being in the vicinity to the discharge of a firearm or coming into contact with a surface that has gunshot primer residue on it. However, no information can be provided as to the timeframe in which this particle was deposited.
MR. MEADORS: So, in common sense terms, how could that get on the seatbelt? Where did you actually find the particle?
MEGAN FLETCHER: The particle was located on the particle lift collected from the buckle, so that piece with the red button.
MR. MEADORS: Just in common sense in your expert opinion, how could a -- that particle get on that buckle?
MEGAN FLETCHER: It could be from touching something that has gunshot primer residue on it, or possibly being in the vicinity to the discharge of a firearm.
MR. MEADORS: So, it could be a transfer.
MEGAN FLETCHER: It's probably most likely a transfer, yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and say why is it probably most likely a transfer?
MEGAN FLETCHER: It's just usually not exposed to the vicinity. If there isn't a gunshot out of that vehicle, then transfer is the most likely scenario.
MR. MEADORS: It just makes sense, right?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Were you submitted another potential piece of evidence in this case --
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: -- Forensic scientist Megan Fletcher?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir, I was.
MR. MEADORS: And what was that?
MEGAN FLETCHER: This was a blue rain jacket, kind of poncho type jacket.
MR. MEADORS: Do you know when you -- I guess, when that came in your custody, when you looked at it the first time?
MEGAN FLETCHER: October 5, 2021.
MR. MEADORS: Beg the Court's indulgence.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. MEADORS: All right, Your Honor, at this time the State's 430 through State's 439 without objection.
MR. GRIFFIN: Excuse me, Your Honor. We renew our earlier objection to this evidence under 403, but we don't have any additional objections.
MR. MEADORS: I apologize.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Yes, sir, it's admitted.
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 430 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 431 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 432 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 433 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 434 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 435 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 436 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 437 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 438 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
(PHOTO MARKED AS STATE'S EXHIBIT NUMBER 439 WAS RECEIVED INTO EVIDENCE.)
MR. MEADORS: I first want to show you -- I don't know if I'm going to use that ELMO or not yet, but just showing what's 430 right now. Is that what you examined?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Those are images of what I examined, yes.
MR. MEADORS: Images of what you examined.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And, and, and, tell the folks where you conducted this examination specifically.
MEGAN FLETCHER: I conducted this examination in the Trace Evidence Laboratory.
MR. MEADORS: I may need them. I'm sorry.
MR. MEADORS: In the trace laboratory.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And I first noticed there's a -- well, State's 430, it appears that --
MR. MEADORS: Well, let me put this on here. I'm sorry.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. MEADORS: It looks like it's on the table or something.
MEGAN FLETCHER: It's actually on two tables. It was large enough -- in order for us to be able to lay it out, we had to put two tables together.
MR. MEADORS: Large enough you had to put two tables together.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And then why is it on this -- what's it on? What's underneath it?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Underneath it is butcher paper, and that's used to protect the item of evidence, but also used to collect any trace evidence that may need to be examined.
MR. MEADORS: And it looks like on the right there may be a ruler or a measurement.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes. That's -- it was just a sicker with ruler on it just to help guide us with the size, general size of it. We didn't take any specific measurements of anything.
MR. MEADORS: But is it fair to say that that's how it looked when you saw it in October?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir, it is.
MR. MEADORS: October 8th?
MEGAN FLETCHER: October 5th.
MR. MEADORS: 5th, excuse me, of '21. This report was dated October 8th, I apologize. You were with Ms. Hall. You had your jacket on, your gloves on, and your mask on?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And tell the ladies and gentlemen of the jury, did it take two of you to do this?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir, it did.
MR. MEADORS: Well, why?
MEGAN FLETCHER: So, I gave Jamie Hall direct instructions on where to collect from and while she was doing that, I was taking the notes.
MR. MEADORS: Double-teaming it.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And I'm going to try not to get too close to you and apologize if I do. 226.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. MEADORS: Is that what's depicted?
MEGAN FLETCHER: I can look at them.
(Break in proceedings.)
MEGAN FLETCHER: This jacket is the jacket I examined. My lab number, the Item Number 173, my initials, and the date in which we examined it is on there.
MR. MEADORS: And is this the same picture of what we just showed 430, I think?
MEGAN FLETCHER: It's the same image that you just -- or this is the jacket that was in the image you just showed.
MR. MEADORS: Okay, and I'm going to get this way. I don't want to bother any of the jurors, so I'll get this way here. So, you and Ms. Hall laid this out to examine it, correct?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And how did you determine specifically where you were going to check to see if there were any particles?
MEGAN FLETCHER: So, typically when we're looking for gunshot primer residue, we're looking for somebody who was in the vicinity to the discharge of a firearm. For this particular case, we were provided information that something might have been transferred in this item that had gunshot primer residue on it; therefore, we treated it like an item that needed to be checked for transfer. Therefore, we had to collect particle lifts from the entirety of the item, including the interior.
MR. MEADORS: You can either do it from up there or down here? How did you do it? How did you determine -- what did you start with collecting potential particle lifts or particle lifts?
MEGAN FLETCHER: So, in total we collected twenty-five particle lifts from the jacket. When I say we covered everything, we covered everything. We collected from the exterior of the hood, the right sleeve, the left sleeve, the right chest, the left chest. There is a middle pocket on that -- on the jacket, so we collected the whole middle section, including the pocket. The pocket also has, like, a hand warmer section; it's got a little bit of fleece inside. We collected from inside of that. And then we split the bottom half in two, collected one particle lift from the right side and one from the left. We then flipped the jacket over and took one particle lift from the right sleeve into the right back on the top of the jacket, the left sleeve in the back on the top of the jacket, the -- let me check this real quick. The back sample, the lower half was, again, split in half, and the right side was collected as well as the left side.
MR. MEADORS: All right. I'm going to ask you to look -- you said twenty-five. Were there a total of fifty-two particle lifts?
MEGAN FLETCHER: There were a total of twenty-five particle lifts.
MR. MEADORS: How many on the outside?
MEGAN FLETCHER: How many --
MR. MEADORS: Particle lifts.
MEGAN FLETCHER: -- particle lifts?
MR. MEADORS: Yes. Specifically, please.
(Break in proceedings.)
MEGAN FLETCHER: Thirteen.
MR. MEADORS: And will you tell us now where they were?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Where the --
MR. MEADORS: The particle lifts? Yes. Where did you swab specifically?
MEGAN FLETCHER: The outside of the hood.
MR. MEADORS: Lifts, not swab, I'm sorry.
MEGAN FLETCHER: That's okay. The outside of the hood, the front right sleeve, the front right chest, the front left sleeve. The front left chest, the middle pocket area, the interior of pocket area, like a hand warmer section. The bottom half of the coat was split into two, so the bottom right side and the bottom left side. The coat was flipped over and the sleeve and top half of the jacket on the right side was collected, the sleeve and top half of the jacket on the left side was collected, and then the bottom half the right side was collected, and the left side was collected.
MR. MEADORS: So, you mentioned the pockets in here. Did you find anything inside these pocket warmers or where you put your hands, if you will?
MEGAN FLETCHER: As far as particles of gunshot primer residue?
MR. MEADORS: Yes.
MEGAN FLETCHER: No particles were detected inside that pocket there.
MR. MEADORS: None?
MEGAN FLETCHER: None.
MR. MEADORS: But you checked.
MEGAN FLETCHER: We did check.
MR. MEADORS: And the particle lifts on the outside of the jacket were how many?
MEGAN FLETCHER: A total of particle lifts?
MR. MEADORS: Yes.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Thirteen, I believe.
MR. MEADORS: And what does that tell you as a -- in your opinion as an expert in the field of gunshot residue?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Are you asking the number of particles of gunshot primer residue or particle lifts?
MR. MEADORS: Particle lifts and then your findings.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Okay. There were thirteen particle lifts collected from the exterior of the jacket, and I did find particles characteristic of gunshot primer residue on it.
MR. MEADORS: And what does that mean?
MEGAN FLETCHER: That that jacket could have been in the vicinity to the discharge of a firearm, or something that had gunshot residue on it could have transferred to that object. I can't tell you when that happened or how it happened.
MR. MEADORS: And how many -- again, inside the pockets you found no gunshot residue.
MEGAN FLETCHER: That's correct.
MR. MEADORS: Why -- you said it. You flipped it over and checked the inside.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes. We turned it inside out and also collected samples from the inside.
MR. MEADORS: Had you done that before?
MEGAN FLETCHER: I don't believe I've done interior unless it was explicitly stated that somebody was wearing a shirt or a coat inside out.
MR. MEADORS: So, you actually turned it inside out.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Correct.
MR. MEADORS: And tell them, me what -- tell them what you and Ms. Hall did.
MEGAN FLETCHER: So, once we turned it inside out, we collected particle lifts from the front and the back again. So, the inside of the hood, the right sleeve to -- you can see seam tape on this. It's that clear stuff that's kind of falling apart off of the jacket --
MR. MEADORS: Yes, ma'am.
MEGAN FLETCHER: -- so we use that as kind of a guide for us. So, we use the front right sleeve to the center section of the coat, the left front sleeve to the center section of the coat, the middle area directly behind the pocket, the right, and the left side on the bottom half of the jacket. We turned it over again and did the right sleeve to the center point on the top of the jacket, the left sleeve to the center point on the top of the jacket. Split the bottom in half again, did the right bottom half of the jacket, and the left bottom half of the jacket.
MR. MEADORS: And what -- after your examination, what were your results?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Particles characteristic of gunshot primer residue were also found on the interior of this jacket.
MR. MEADORS: Is there a certain number, or could you have kept checking and checking? Was there a lot of gunshot primer residue inside the inside of the jacket?
MEGAN FLETCHER: I would say there were significant number -- a significant number of particles characteristic of gunshot primer residue on the inside of this jacket, yes.
MR. MEADORS: How many did you determine?
MEGAN FLETCHER: I confirmed thirty-eight particles characteristic.
MR. MEADORS: And I'm saying confirmed, you confirmed how many?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Thirty-eight.
MR. MEADORS: Thirty-eight.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: From the inside of the rain jacket poncho --
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: -- whatever this is, correct?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Could you -- and you've taught me a word, too. Is there something that kind of led you there could have been more but you just basically stopped checking?
MEGAN FLETCHER: So if we go back, so when I talked about the automated analysis, it gives me a list of candidate features that may contain lead, barium, and antimony. There were a significantly more -- significantly more particles were listed as candidate features containing the elements lead, barium, and antimony. I had to make an analyst decision based on my experience to stop at the number that I did.
MR. MEADORS: Candidate features.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Which meant if you went on, you would expect to find more gunshot primer residue, correct?
MEGAN FLETCHER: It could. I would have to still check the morphology. I would have to make sure that they were molten and round. I also had -- would have had to check that they didn't contain exclusionary elements like high amounts of iron and magnesium, but there was a possibility that there would have been more on it.
MR. MEADORS: But you found thirty-eight.
MEGAN FLETCHER: I confirmed thirty-eight, yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And twenty-three candidate features if you had gone further, correct?
MEGAN FLETCHER: More than twenty-three.
MR. MEADORS: More than twenty-three?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Did there come a point -- if you had to finish that examination, how long would it have taken you if you would have checked everything?
MEGAN FLETCHER: If I had checked every single particle, it probably would have taken me a week.
MR. MEADORS: So, is there a percentage that you determined, hey, I'm going to stop at this point and say here are my results? There are some other candidate features. Is there a guideline out there?
MEGAN FLETCHER: We don't have a specific guideline. It really is based on our experience. And for this particular case, I stopped anywhere between 10 and 20 percent. Some areas I was able to do a full percent because -- or full 100 percent because there weren't that many to go look at, but other areas I did have to make a determination.
MR. MEADORS: Of when to stop?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Of when to stop, yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Can you look at the ladies and gentlemen of this jury and tell them in your opinion, your expert opinion, how that number of particles from gunshot residue primer, what is that consistent with?
MEGAN FLETCHER: If somebody was wearing this coat inside out, I would say that is consistent with being in the vicinity to the discharge of a shooting. Given that it's on the inside, in order for it to be consistent with transfer, an object or objects with a high amount of gunshot primer residue on it would have had to transfer to it. So, they would have had to have more gunshot primer residue particles on them to begin with in order to transfer the amount of gunshot primer residue I found on this coat.
MR. MEADORS: And as far as a recently fired firearm, would your -- would your findings be consistent with that item containing a recently fired firearm?
MEGAN FLETCHER: It is possible, yes.
MR. MEADORS: With that number of particles.
MEGAN FLETCHER: With that number it is possible.
MR. MEADORS: Is there any other possibility?
MEGAN FLETCHER: If --
MR. MEADORS: You stated one. Were there any more?
MEGAN FLETCHER: If the jacket was inside out and simply in the vicinity to the discharge of a firearm, it could have also had that number of particles on it.
MR. MEADORS: In your opinion in just life and the job you love, that's a large number of particles, isn't it?
MEGAN FLETCHER: It was a significant amount of particles, yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: On the inside of the jacket.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: I'm not doing this for just -- but to just show, I'm almost 6 feet -- I am 6 feet, a little over 6 feet, I want the record to reflect. But anyway, does this look like a full length garment to you?
MEGAN FLETCHER: I would say that it would fit most people down to their knees or so.
MR. MEADORS: Beg the Court's indulgence.
(Break in proceedings.)
MR. MEADORS: And just the conclusion again, as far as the hood, you said there was one particle outside the hood?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir. I was able to confirm one particle on the exterior of the hood.
MR. MEADORS: And how many particles on the inside of the hood did you determine there were?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Three particles were confirmed on the inside.
MR. MEADORS: Inside of the hood.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: And finally, since this is an inanimate object, how long would you expect that gunshot primer residue to stay on there?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Until it's actively removed.
MR. MEADORS: Say that again, until it was what?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Until it's actively removed.
MR. MEADORS: And that means washed, cleaned, whatever?
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yeah. Brushing it, like aggressively brushing it off, washing it in a washing machine, cleaned, hosed off, something like that.
MR. MEADORS: If a recently fired firearm was wrapped up inside that jacket, would that be consistent with your findings?
MEGAN FLETCHER: There is a possibility of that, yes, sir.
MR. MEADORS: Thank you very much. That's all we have. Thank you.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Ladies and gentlemen, we're going to adjourn for the day and resume at 9:30 tomorrow morning. Please do not discuss the case. Have a good evening.
(The jury left the courtroom.)
JUDGE NEWMAN: All right, ma'am, you are -- will be cross-examined tomorrow. You're not allowed to discuss your testimony with anyone between now and then.
MEGAN FLETCHER: Yes, sir.
JUDGE NEWMAN: Okay. All right. We'll be in recess until tomorrow morning.
(Whereupon, the case was at ease.)