Day 6

Today Trial 5 and 6 were completed. Trial 5 Consisted of Cocaine HCl and Cocaine base. Trial 6 consisted of Benzocaine and Crack (Cocaine base). There was a total of 3 samples for each trial. Since there was a limited supply of Cocaine HCl and Cocaine base, it had to be used sparingly. Also this part of the research takes a little longer because Ashley Harris has to supervise me very closely. He has to keep a log of how much cocaine was used, why it was used, what time and what date it was used. They take all precautions to avoid error at the Sheriff's Office. Each day that I am at the Sheriff's Office I learn something interesting besides the research that I am performing. Today I watched Lt. Ashley Harris make Chem Print. It is a substance that is used to lift fingerprints off surfaces in which it is normally difficult to get a fingerprint. For example lifting a fingerprint off of glass is relatively easy, but when you try to lift a fingerprint off of paper it becomes very difficult. This is why Chem print is used as a vapor to attach to the amino acids left behind by your fingers. I did not get to see him lift a fingerprint, but I thought the explanation was very interesting. I also got to tour the evidence storage room. Drug cases are kept in storage for a little over six months and Homicide cases are kept for about 75 years!