New Fingerprinting Technology May Crack Cold Cases

[MA-Caver]

New fingerprint method could unlock cold cases

By Michael Kahn 2 hours, 56 minutes ago

LONDON (Reuters) - It's a discovery that would make even Sherlock Holmes proud. British scientists have developed a new crime-fighting technique that allows police to lift fingerprints from bullets even if a criminal has wiped down a shell casing.

Authorities in Britain and the United States used the method to re-open three cold cases, including a U.S. double murder that police are now optimistic of solving, said John Bond, the physicist who developed the technique.
"In one case there was enough evidence that could lead to an identification of an offender," said Bond, a researcher at the University of Leicester and consultant at Northamptonshire Police in Britain.
The conventional method of taking fingerprints has been around for more than 100 years and involves creating a chemical reaction with the sweat left behind on an object to produce an image police can use.
But if a criminal wipes away the sweat, there is little left to react with the chemical and regular methods are useless, Bond said in a telephone interview.
The new technique allows police to outwit a criminal and produce a fingerprint even if there is no sweat impression to work with.
More here: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20080905/sc_nm/crime_fingerprints_dc

Hmm, wonder if this would work for the JFK assassination?? nahh
But either way this could help in a lot of cases that remain unsolved for lack of identification. Seems that the "burden of proof" is going to get lighter.
Are there methods used here in the states that use this technology or would it be helpful?