The Path of the Bullet: A Guide to Criminal Cases

Speakers

Jump to the Day Below

January 27, 2022 10:30 AM to 5:00 PM Eastern

SESSION 1

All About Bullets  |  Michael Haag

Gain a fundamental knowledge of forensic firearms terminology, as well as an in-depth discussion of the capabilities and pitfalls involved with the investigation of shooting incidents.

You’ll walk away being able to correctly use firearms terminology and break down the myths and misconceptions surrounding firearm-related incidents. Your knowledge of gunshot wounds, gunshot residue, and the pitfalls of these examinations will enable you to work with attorneys handling gunshot cases.

Untitled design (12)

Michael Haag BSC

Michael Haag BSC's introduction to forensics was at a very young age as his father, Lucien Haag, established himself as the leading shooting reconstructionist in the 1970's. As a child, Michael spent weekends conducting research projects and case investigation with his father. Michael earned a Bachelor of Science in chemistry, with a math and physics minor. During college, Michael also published his first paper in the area of forensic firearms. He also used some of his independent research projects for forensic studies.

Michael received outside training at the Bloodstain Evidence Institute and attended numerous Association of Firearms and Tool Mark Examiners (AFTE) meetings. In addition, he has examined thousands of bullets, cartridge casings, and firearms, and gone to numerous shooting scenes, ranging in location across the United States and internationally. He has worked on hundreds of cases, civil and criminal, and for both prosecution/plaintiff, and defense.

Michael works with the Albuquerque Police Department as the supervisor of the Physical Identification Unit (Firearms, Controlled Substances, Blood/Breath Alcohol).

SESSION 2

Every Contract Leaves a Trace: Introduction to Forensic Evidence |  Victoria Morton

What do you need to know about forensic evidence? You’ll gain an ability to define evidence, forensic evidence and the chain of custody. This session reveals how prosecutors, experts, and defense attorneys or public defenders use evidence in criminal investigations and court proceedings.

Victoria Morton MS, BSN, RN SANE-A, CP-SANE

Victoria Morton holds her SANE-A Certification through the IAFN and CP-SANE through the Texas Office of Attorney General. She received her master’s degree from The University of Florida with a Forensic Science focus, has received additional training in Forensic and Clinical Evaluation of Gunshot Wounds and Death Investigation, and has served as a Legal Consultant since 2013. She currently works at Baylor Scott and White Medical Center in Temple, Texas on the Forensic Nurse, Sexual Assault and Violence Response Team.

Victoria-Morton-Victoria-Morton

SESSION 3

Forensic Evidence Collection in the Healthcare Setting | Tristan Ashly Wristen

Forensic evidence collected by healthcare providers can be utilized during criminal investigations and court proceedings. What forensic evidence might be present in a gunshot wound case? And how is it collected? This session guides you in evaluating the types of forensic evidence that might be collected by healthcare providers in a gunshot wound case. This presentation provides you with the ability to perform a comprehensive evaluation of a gunshot wound case.

Tristan Ashly Wristen MSN BSN RN FN-CSA, SANE-A

Tristan Ashly Wristen spent ten years as an Emergency Department RN. She is board-certified as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner and has qualified as an expert in sexual assault, strangulation, and injury causation. Tristan is a professor and teaches undergraduate nursing students at Ocean County College and precepts graduate students in forensic nursing at Monmouth University in New Jersey.

Wristen Photo Cropped - Tristan Ashly Wristen

SESSION 4

Basics of Criminal Case Consulting Part I | Teresa Devitt-Lynch

Legal Nurse Consultants can contribute significantly to the prosecution or defense of persons indicted for causing death or bodily injury via gunshot wounds. The LNC's role is not to determine whodunnit in these types of cases, but rather to evaluate and analyze the medical evidence available to assist attorneys in mounting strong prosecution or defense litigations. Through this presentation, you will be able to evaluate medically-relevant indicted charges and analyze the available medical evidence to support or refute those charges.

You will be able to evaluate the criminal charges associated with gunshot wounds, discuss the process of forensically analyzing the medical evidence and look for a connection between the medical evidence and the indicated charges.

Teresa Devitt-Lynch MSN RN AFN-BC, SANE-A

Teresa Devitt-Lynch is a certified adult Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner and board certified Advanced Forensic Nurse. The proprietor of the INTREPID Forensic Healthcare Consulting firm, she provides criminal case consultation and expert witness services for military and civilian courts. Recently relocated to North Dakota, Teresa provides services to victims of sexual assault and battering.

Untitled design (9)

SESSION 5

Case Analysis

With the details from a real case, you’ll have an opportunity to evaluate the case and draw some conclusions based on the evidence. You’ll meet fellow attendees in a small group setting.  This session will focus on identifying and evaluating the criminal charges levied against the defendant in a gun shooting case.

January 28, 2022 10:30 AM to 5:30 PM Eastern

SESSION 1

Building a Forensic Practice | Pat Iyer

How do you add forensic cases to a legal nurse consulting practice? Who are the players, who has the money, and what are the nuances of working within this world? What are the most effective marketing methods for reaching the attorneys who need your services?

Pat Iyer is an experienced legal nurse consultant business coach who helps LNCs achieve their goals and dreams. Pat Iyer built a highly successful LNC business and shares her expertise with other LNCs who want to make more money, get more clients, and enjoy their lives more.

Patricia Iyer MSN RN LNCC built a large multimillion dollar independent LNC business using the principles she will share in this session. She is past president of the American Association of Legal Nurse Consultants, and the Chief Editor of Legal Nurse Consulting Principles and Practices, Second Edition as well as 49 other books written for nurses, LNCs, and attorneys.

SESSION 2

Winning Clients | Darin Adams

You know your LNC business like no one else. The problem is that it’s not enough to just be good at what you do. When a business fails, it’s often because it wasn’t organized to run or grow efficiently. Thanks to new technology, you can concentrate on your strengths and let new tools help you get organized and take care of the steps that will make you successful.

  • · How can you do better at “speed to lead”? Getting the new contact in your business system in record time allows you to follow up with them better.
  • · Make it easy for your customer to contact you and schedule time with you. If it’s as easy as clicking on a button, it will happen more often.
  • · Stay in touch and you’ll be “top of mind”. If you are providing a real solution, your audience wants to hear from you more often.

 

The best part is that, while marketing and sales can be overwhelming, tools are available that make it easier than ever before.  It now can happen in seconds, not days. Darin shares tips to accomplish these goals in this fast-paced session.

Darin-Adams

Darin Adams

Darin Adams is an award-winning marketing expert who has coached thousands of businesses how to build connections with their audiences.  All success starts with relationships; he has taught people all around the world how to build those relationships through automation.  Now he’s here to show you how you can get organized, get customers, and get paid.

SESSION 3

The Attorney’s Take on LNCs

Here’s your chance to ask your questions of an experienced pair of criminal attorneys. How can LNCs best help attorneys? What qualities do attorneys find desirable? What specific aspects of a case require assistance/what value add services can you offer?

In this fast-moving discussion, our attorneys will answer our questions related to criminal case consulting.

Joe-Flores
Skurka-Mark

Joe Flores MSN RN NP, ESQ is both a nurse practitioner and an attorney in Texas. He has practiced in several areas of the law, including criminal, personal injury, traumatic brain injury cases, whistleblower law, and the defense in cases where nursing and the law overlap.

While Joe earned his BSN, he started reviewing medical records for attorneys. His expert witness work helped fund his nurse practitioner program and law school.

Joe serves in a dual role  now: trial attorney and nurse practitioner.

 

Mark Skurka is a criminal justice professor and recently retired from Texas A &M. He served as the District Attorney for Nueces County in Texas for 30 years. The last 6 years of his career he was the District Attorney with 44 attorneys under his supervision. He prosecuted a wide variety of criminal cases including rape, child abuse, murder and more. He achieved fame in 1995 when he prosecuted the murder of Selena Quintanilla Perez, an American singer who was murdered by an embezzling employee. It was called the Trial of the Century.

For 13 years, Mark taught a course on forensic science and criminal law at Texas A & M in Corpus Christi.

SESSION 4

Basics of Criminal Case Consulting Part II

Legal Nurse Consultants can contribute significantly to the prosecution or defense of persons indicted for causing death or bodily injury via gunshot wounds. The LNC's role is not to determine whodunnit in these types of cases, but rather to evaluate and analyze the medical evidence available to assist attorneys in mounting strong prosecution or defense litigations. Through this presentation, you will be able to evaluate medically-relevant indicted charges and analyze the available medical evidence to support or refute those charges.

You will be able to evaluate the criminal charges associated with gunshot wounds, discuss the process of forensically analyzing the medical evidence and look for a connection between the medical evidence and the indicated charges.

Teresa Devitt-Lynch MSN RN AFN-BC, SANE-A is a certified adult Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner and board certified Advanced Forensic Nurse. The proprietor of the INTREPID Forensic Healthcare Consulting firm, she provides criminal case consultation and expert witness services for military and civilian courts. Recently relocated to North Dakota, Teresa provides services to victims of sexual assault and battering.

Untitled design (9)

SESSION 5

Case Analysis

Based on what you’ve heard, you work in small groups to dig deeper into the case and formulate an opinion based on the information presented.

SESSION 6

Panel Discussion: The View from the Forensic Field

Wendy Votroubek MPH BSN RN founded Integrity Legal Nurse Consulting PDX over 10 years ago and works with both civil and criminal defense attorneys. She uses subcontractors to ensure the consistent high quality of work that her clients rely on. Wendy also teaches part time at University of Portland.

Tristan Ashly Wristen MSN BSN RN FN-CSA, SANE-A spent ten years as an Emergency Department RN. She is board-certified as a Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner and has qualified as an expert in sexual assault, strangulation, and injury causation. Tristan is a professor and teaches undergraduate nursing students at Ocean County College and precepts graduate students in forensic nursing at Monmouth University in New Jersey.

Victoria Morton MS, BSN, RN SANE-A, CP-SANE holds her SANE-A Certification through the IAFN and CP-SANE through the Texas Office of Attorney General. She received her master’s degree from The University of Florida with a Forensic Science focus, has received additional training in Forensic and Clinical Evaluation of Gunshot Wounds and Death Investigation, and has served as a Legal Consultant since 2013. She currently works at Baylor Scott and White Medical Center in Temple, Texas on the Forensic Nurse, Sexual Assault and Violence Response Team.