Dr. Elzbieta Bakowska

Murder defendant Antonio Stridiron listens to recorded testimony from an expert witness who testified Monday that Stridiron had "significant levels" of gunshot residue on his hands when they were swabbed hours after Joshua Velasquez was killed last July. ';" style="cursor:pointer" /> > > Elzbieta Bakowska testifies Monday via recorded deposition.
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Bakowska was unable to travel to Minot for the trial due to health issues.';" style="cursor:pointer" /> >
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Next up was the recorded deposition of Elzbieta Bakowska, who works at NMS Labs in Willow Grove, Pa. Bakowska was deposed in the case because, due to health problems, she would not have been able to travel to Minot for the trial.
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The court accepted Bakowska as an expert witness in the field of gunshot residue analysis.

Bakowska described gunshot residue as residual particles that are the result of firing a weapon.Residue is left as a "product of the cooling of vapors that are the result of an explosion."

Three elements are sought as evidence of a gun being fired, she testified: antimony, barium and lead.Bakowska described the particles as "grains of sand some extremely microscopic, but some can be seen."

Antimony, she said, is key.Barium and lead are present in the natural environment, while antimony almost never is.She said the combination of the three is almost exclusively unique to gunshot residue.

Bakowska said gunshot residue "dramatically diminishes" with time, due to factors such as environment and transfer.Some labs, she said, won't even accept samples taken two to four hours later.

"Four hours will be very difficult to find gunshot residue," Bakowska testified in her thick, Polish accent.
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Bakowska said Holloway's kit showed only lead, while Davis' showed reportable levels of all three unique to gunshot residue on his left palm.
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"All three are present," Bakowska said.
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In the right palm, "the highest level almost approaches tenfold" the reportable level, Bakowska said.
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Bakowska said if a surface is covered in blood, the gunshot residue would stick to the blood, and that a swabbing would be more likely to contain gunshot residue if it also contained the blood.

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Elzbieta (Ela) Bakowska, Ph.D.NMS Labs - About NMS Labs
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Elzbieta (Ela) Bakowska, Ph.D.

Director, Elemental Analysis

Dr. Bakowska is a Senior Scientist at NMS Labs, responsible for the operations of the Metals Section of the laboratory.In her role, Dr. Bakowska conducts technical and administrative reviews of analytical findings, oversees all technical activities, including development of new tests, validation experiments and method improvements.She earned a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry at the University of Massachusetts and a Masters of Science Degree in Physical Chemistry from the University of Warsaw, Poland.She is a member of many professional organizations, including the American Chemical Society, American Association of Clinical Chemists and is a former Chairperson for the Society for Applied Spectroscopy. « Back

Elzbieta (Ela) Bakowska, Ph.D. Director, Elemental Analysis

Elzbieta (Ela) Bakowska, Ph.D.

Director, Elemental Analysis

Elzbieta (Ela) Bakowska, Ph.D. Director, Elemental Analysis

Elizbieta Bakowska, Ph.D.NMS
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Elizbieta Bakowska, Ph.D.Senior Scientist

Dr. Bakowska is a Senior Scientists at National Medical Services responsible for the operations of the clean room and Elemental Analysis Section of NMS' laboratory.In her role, Dr. Bakowska conducts technical and administrative reviews of analytical findings, oversees all technical activities, including development of new tests, validation experiments and method improvements.She received a Ph.D. in Analytical Chemistry at the University of Massachusetts and a Masters of Science Degree in Physical Chemistry from the University of Warsaw, Poland.She is a member of many professional organizations, including the American Chemical Society, American Association of Clinical Chemists and is a former Chairperson for the Society for Applied Spectroscopy.