Guatemala City. The other two cases (No. 3 and No. 4) are
massacres that took place in the highlands in 1982 and 1992
respectively. I suggest splitting the class in half, and having
each student on one side read one type of each case study, i.e.,
one individual murder and one massacre (Nos. 1 and 3), and have
the students on the other side read Nos. 2 and 4 for a more
balanced discussion. Make sure the appropriate map is copied for
Case Studies No. 3 and 4. After reading the two case studies have
students on the same side work in pairs and document Guatemalan
violations they find in procedural due process and/or “breaks” in
the chain of custody using their textbook. Have them share their
results with class.
-Make overhead transparencies of the following maps/graphs/photo:
Map of Social Exclusion, 1996; Number of Massacres by Department;
Linguistic Communities of Guatemala; Percentage of Identified
Victims by Ethnic Group; Forces Responsible for Human Rights
Violations and Acts of Violence; Principal Human Rights Violations
and Acts of Violence; Guatemalan countryside. Some points to
emphasize: language barriers, remoteness of certain departments,
lack of infrastructure and communication. Possible questions:
How did topography in the highlands indirectly contribute to the
massacres? Role of culture?
Section 6: Protocol for Disinterment and Analysis of Skeletal Remains
This section includes a discussion of the role of the forensic anthropologist
and the medical examiner in a medicolegal investigation. Three stages
of the disinterment are discussed.
-Make overhead transparencies of Preparation Prior to Exhuming Skeletal
Remain(s), Process of Locating Human Remains, and the Excavation
Process. Cover the steps in each stage of the exhumation process
as a lecture in class. Photographs and drawings have been
included to illustrate many of the steps. Overhead transparencies
should be made of these as well. Stress the process and documen-
tation of each stage in order that the students will understand how
skeletal remains can be used as evidence in a court of law.
Emphasize the difference between the cause and manner of death,
as well as the differences in Guatemalan and US procedures.
Note: A class simulation [divided into groups of 5 or 6] can be done
covering stages 1, and 2 and stage 3 step 1. Also, point out that this
process is the same protocol used in the US when investigating a
murder scene outdoors.
-The Influence of the Family in Latin America should be used to supplement
the lecture notes above and to emphasize the cultural differences
between doing a disinterment in the United States and in Latin
America. Additional photographs have been included to illustrate
main points as well as a chart blending the Latin interview process
with the physical evidence in a medicolegal investigation. Make
overhead transparencies of the above. Last, hand out a few
samples of the case forms (included in the binder) so that the
Melody Dickison 2005, All Rights Reserved
Convention