Forensic expert Joulyn Kenny takes crime buffs on an investigative journey to solve a whodunit
A training session in Chennai for forensic anthropology excavation
It’s very different from what you see on TV—we don’t place a sample in a high-tech machine, and, voila, out comes a suspect’s name,” laughs Joulyn Kenny. The forensic consultant’s journey started with attending an after-college-hours supplementary course in forensics at St Xavier’s College in 2004; then followed a Masters degree from a Noida university, and culminated in her launching a forensics firm. Through the years, Kenny has deciphered document forgeries, cheque frauds, and signature and fingerprint verifications, often testifying in court as an expert witness.
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“Most people’s interpretation of forensics is what they see in reel life. Friends ask me if what I do is similar to Dr Salunkhe from CID! In a law and crime show, the viewer is constantly fed a stream of evidence in a short span of time.”
In real life, constructing evidence is far more scientific. “You first identify the evidence, and, more often than not, it is contaminated,” she says. Simultaneously, you gather information about the suspect, from their past and present, to build an idea of what they might do in the future.” Past evidence isn’t always in the pristine, ready-to-inspect condition one would like. “Sometimes we receive skeletal remains, a completely decomposed or bloated body, or a small tissue sample.” Mandated checks for each time a sample is opened and tested conclude whether there has been any tampering or contamination. Kenny’s court testimony is often questioned or challenged by the defendant, and sent for a re-examination once again.
In her upcoming workshop for amateur sleuths, Kenny presents a mystery, gives past records and the tools to use the science behind a crime-scene investigation to establish when, where and how the crimes occurred. As you piece together evidence and eliminate suspects, Kenny and team will assist you. “You’ll have the chance to learn about determining the time of death, analysing fingerprints and decoding blood spatter patterns.”
A junior forensic investigators workshop at a Mumbai school
The workshop journeys into the mind of a criminal. “When we started out in 2009,” says the Bandra resident, “We realised there weren’t many, or any, companies conducting forensic workshops. Many professionals—lawyers, journalists, crime reporters and authors—required a basic knowledge of forensics to understand and decode information that would go hand-in-hand with their work.” The idea is to make it educative for them, and fascinating for everyone.
Joulyn Kenny
Kenny describes how, when she sees a crime reported in the news, she’s compelled to look for clues herself. Sometimes, she’s irked when the correct methods for gathering evidence are not followed. The most prominent case being the 2008 Noida double murder of 13-year-old Aarushi Talwar and 45-year-old Hemraj Banjade. “I remember seeing reporters at the scene of the crime touching the banisters as they went up to the terrace, standing right next to the forensics team collecting blood samples from the walls—it was far too messy and a ripe recipe for contamination!”
WHAT: Crime Scene: Coffee, Murder and Beyond the Yellow Tape
WHERE: Adagio, Rukhsana Manor, 237 B, Chapel Road, Ranwar, Bandra West
WHEN: November 5, 4.30 PM
CALL: 9819288253
PRICE: Rs 1,200
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