1.Discuss the History of Coroners and Medical Examiners

Chapter 8—Autopsy

Introduction—Objectives

1.Discuss the history of coroners and medical examiners.

2.Describe the steps of a death investigation.

3.Discuss how laboratory tests are used to determine the contributing factors that led to someone’s death.

4.Compare and contrast collection of biological and nonbiological evidence during an autopsy.

5.Describe the organization and structure of the autopsy report.

Introduction—Vocabulary

algor mortis - postmortem (after death) cooling of the body

autopsy - a postmortem examination of the body, including dissection to determine cause of death

cluster - a group of wounds

postmortem interval (PMI) – the interval of time between when death occurs and the body is discovered

Madison Rutherford

In 1998, Rutherford drove his car off the road.

The car caught fire and Rutherford died.

A $7 million life insurance policy would go to his wife, but only after an investigation.

An autopsy revealed:

the skull fragments were in an unlikely position

the bones indicated arthritis

the dentures records didn’t match

Rutherford faked his death.

Introduction

When the cause of death is unclear or suspicious:

the government requires a death investigation

performed by the medical examiner or the coroner

By law, deaths occurring under these circumstances must be investigated:

Violent crime, suicide, or accident

Within 24 hours of entering a hospital or having surgery

A natural death when a doctor is not present or the patient is not under the care of a medical facility

Occurs in police custody or in a correctional facility

Results from a communicable disease that may pose a threat to public health.

Historical Events (Obj 8.1)

Two systems of death investigation exist in the US

The coroner system dates to 12C England;sometimes the position:

ois an elected official

orequires a medical doctor

orequires a forensic pathologist.

The medical examiner system dates back to 1870

oan experienced physician with

oadvanced training in pathology

A Death Investigation (Obj 8.2, 8.3, 8.4)

A preliminary investigation is conducted at the death scene.

The body is transported to the morgue, where the medical examiner examines the body and performs an autopsy.

The medical examiner orders lab tests on biological evidence collected during the autopsy.

At the Death Scene

Draw sketches of the body at the scene

Take photographs of

the scene

the victim’s face

the underside of the body

Document signs of trauma

Estimate time of death

Postmortem Interval (PMI)

Postmortem Interval

The time between the death and the discovery of the body

Evaluate livor mortis and rigor mortis

Look for scene markers

Collect evidence

Establish a chain of custody

Interview the victim’s family

Check medical records and police reports

Medical Examination

Arrival at the morgue

Update the chain of custody:

owhen the body arrives,

owho transported the body, and

owho received the body

Cause of death

Mechanism of death

External Examination

Investigate clothing and body

Order X-rays

Biological evidence—material from living or once-living sources

Nonbiological evidence—material from nonliving sources

Autopsy

Algor mortis—postmortem cooling of the body

Temperature generally falls 1.5ºF every hour until the body reaches ambient temperature

Determine body temperature

At the crime scene—rectally

At the crime lab—in the liver

Autopsy

Time since death (in hours) =

Laboratory Analysis

Toxicology—the science related to the detection of drugs, alcohol, and poisons

Histology—the study of tissues

Neuropathology—the study of disease and trauma associated with the nervous system

Serology—the study of blood, semen, and other body fluids (for legal matters)

Toxicology

Alcohol—gas chromatography

Barbiturates and narcotics

Presumptive screening—urine immunoassay

Confirmatory test—gas chromatography-mass spectrometry

Tranquilizers—gas chromatography

Histology

Slice tissue into very thin sheets

Stain the tissue samples

Eosin (acidic)—for basic structures;

•Cytoplasm appears pink

•Red blood cells appear bright red

Hematoxylin—binds to structures (e.g., ribosomes and the nucleus)

Together—detect cancers

Neuropathology

More than half of all deaths encountered by medical examiners are associated with the nervous system

Common examinations:

Brain trauma

Brain cancer

Alzheimer’s

Serology

A forensic serologist may investigate:

Infections caused by blood-borne pathogens

Blood-typing

DNA profiles

The Autopsy Report (Obj 8.5)

Heading

External Examination

Evidence of Injury

Internal Examination

Findings and Opinion

Chapter Summary

In the US, the coroner or the medical examiner leads the death investigation when the cause of death is unclear or suspicious.

Manner of death is classified as:

natural,

accidental,

suicide,

homicide, or

undetermined.

The three steps of a death investigation include:

determination of the events that surrounded and led to the death,

internal and external examination, and

laboratory analysis.

An autopsy is performed if the cause of death is not known in order to:

document injuries,

exclude other causes of death, and

determine factors that contributed to death.

Biological evidence is material from sources that are living or were once living.

Nonbiological evidence is material from nonliving sources.

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