Parts of a door for forensic scientists & barristers

Colonel Johannes Vermeulen with Oscar Pistorius bathroom doorDay 8 of the trial of Oscar Pistorius, charged with the murder of his girlfriend Reeva Steenkamp, included the testimony and cross examination of Forensic investigator Colonel Johannes Vermeulen (pictured above).  Vermeulen’s investigation centres around the condition of the bathroom door and the baseball bat which Pistorius says he used to break down the door after the shooting.  A vigorous exchange over the height of the perpetrator ensued.  Vermeulen maintains that Pistorius would have had to be on his stumps (contradicting his statement) to make the observed marks, so the defense attorney Barry Roux attempts to pick apart every thread of his evidence, including what happened to the missing shards of timber (seen lying on the floor in the crime scene photos), and could Vermeulen balance upright on his knees in front of the door with his feet raised behind him (he tried and couldn’t).  Anyway, Doorstuff’s attention was drawn to this court session when it was apparent that no-one, even Vermeulen with 29 years experience in Forensic Science, accustomed to giving evidence in court, could name any of the parts of a door.  Thus there was much pointing, stepping in and out of the witness box and botched descriptions, for example “this part of the door”, or that part, “the edge of the door”, “no, the frame of the door” etc.  So although it is undoubtedly moot now, Doorstuff has made a diagram (below) for forensic scientists and barristers giving just a few of the basic terms relating to a mahogany two panel bathroom door like the one in question.
parts of a door for forensic scientists & barristers

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