Resource Tag: EQUIVOCAL DEATH

An analysis of suicide and accidental death data from the United States Vital and Health Statistics for 1960 and 1970 showed that suicide rates and accidental death rates by poison and firearms were positively correlated. Results do not support the hypothesis that suicides are often disguised as accidental deaths by some coroners.

To aid in preventing motor vehicle accidents, physicians should be aware of psychiatric factors related to impaired driving ability. Individuals with alcoholism & personality disorders account for much of the increased risk of accidents among the mentally ill. Alcoholics are involved in 1/3 of accidents involving fatalities. Contrary to speculation, less than 5% of such […]

The suicides & homicides in Ibsen’s plays are examined in relation to Hendin’s hypotheses about Scandinavian suicide. In general, the suicides had dependency loss characteristics; the victim-precipitated homicides had characteristics of guilt over transgression, as expected. However, elements of suicide as a vehicle for preserving or restoring an ideal self-image were also present in many […]

The President of the International Claim Association discusses the problem of suicide in relation to insurance claims, stating it would be appropriate, in the light of increasing suicide rates, to insure this cause of death as is done with all other causes of death.(NBB)

The author discusses a wide range of accidents & illustrates that many of these events are not “accidents” but the result of self destructive behaviors. She cites a common personality trait shared by the suicidal & the accident prone as an inability to adapt to stressful situations. (NBB)

Discussion of the case of John Mclennan of the Hong Kong Police & cases contributed by discussants indicates that only a person suffering from a severe psychosis could persist in inflicting painful & incapacitating injury upon himself in a number of successive acts, each having to be separately willed & executed.

This is a response by W. F. Rowe to an article in the July 1983 issue of the Journal of Forensic Sciences, about the Battle of Little Bighorn. The author does not agree with the mass suicide theory alluded to by Jerry D. Spencer, illustrating his argument with information from Thomas B. Marquis’ book, Keep […]

A physician recounts his experience with a Russian woman who claimed she was being poisoned by a neighbour. He initiated psychiatric treatment for symptoms he interpreted as being psychological in origin; however, the circumstances surrounding her subsequent death led him to believe her original statement was accurate. (NBB)

The author relates the circumstances surrounding & leading up to the death of poet Randall Jarrell in 1965. Although the official verdict was “accident”, those who were familiar with Jarrell conclude his death was suicidal. (NBB)

The motivation of some cases of fatal masochistic asphyxia is discussed, with particular refererence to four specific deaths. In these instances, it would appear that the expectation of a fatal outcome was apparent to the victims and this has medicolegal significance in deciding whether the deaths should be classified as accidents or suicides.

Article discusses the findings of an inquest into the death of a Hong Kong policeman who was alleged to have committed suicide due to homosexual accusations. After hearing forensic evidence, it is concluded that the death of the officer was a suicide.

Five suicides by motor vehicle drivers are reported. Possible frequency of such incidents and methods for their investigation, as well as patterns and characteristics of suicidal behavior, are discussed. Published reports of suicide by motor vehicle are scarce. Proven cases should be reported by medical examiners and coroners to help establish the patterns of such […]

Critically reviews the inquest into the death of a 19 year old male inmate at which a verdict of death by suicide was returned. Questions about this verdict were raised by abrasions consistent with attempts to remove the straps by which he hung; the coroner’s failure to mention lack of care as a possible verdict; […]

A questionnaire on procedures for the ascertainment of suicide was sent to raters in 24 countries,to examine the reliability of suicide statistics. The inescapable conclusion was that the present official suicide statistics are of only limited value. 3 recommendations follow: a standard definition of suicide should be developed; space on the death certificate for recording […]

This article describes the features of autoerotic fatalities (deaths occurring during masterbation) to enhance one’s ability to recognize and describe such cases. Such fatalities have common characteristics with suicide, and these characteristics are examined and include location, victim position, attire (including bondage). Included are 12 case studies. (12 ref)

The crucial concept for defining suicide is intention. A major purpose of the psychological autopsy is to clarify the pre-mortem intentions of the victim, now deceased. This article reports cases in which the issue of suicide vs. accident came to trial because insurance benefits were at issue. Currently, the courts, in considering to what extent […]