MovieChat Forums > Frenzy (1972) Discussion > Question about fingerprints?

Question about fingerprints?

posted 15 years ago by bowmanblue
5 replies | jump to latest

I just wondered when 'fingerprint technology' came into mainstream policing?

I seem to recall hearing DNA started being used in the 80s, so I thought fingerprinting would have been used long before that. If so, surely they would know the main character wasn't the killer because there were no fingerprints on the neckties used to kill the women (in fact there should be a totally different set, seeing as I don't recall the killer wearing gloves).

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[–] 15 years ago

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[–] charlesheld 14 years ago

I don't know that neckties would contain fingerprints, but there are two things about the ties that should have exonerated Blaney and pointed blame at Rusk:

1. The ties would have holes in them from where Rusk used his tie-pin.

2. Rusk worked in a public market and had a reputation as a dandy and a "ladies' man" who liked being showy. The police could have released photographs of the ties' patterns in the hopes that someone would recognize them and identify the killer (Rusk) as the man who wore those ties.

[–] 14 years ago

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[–] 14 years ago

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[–] baheidstu-351-733122 11 years ago

Fingerprint technology was in use in the early 70s, however, even today you would likely not be able to get a latent fingerprint lift from a necktie due to the surface ridges and bumps of the material, not to mention the way that the tie was bunched up when strangling somebody.