Resource Tag: MEDICAL EXAMINERS (LAW)

This paper states that the legal definition of suicide in England & Wales (E&W) gives rise to a high proportion of open verdicts & an underestimated suicide rate. Examines whether the ratio between open & suicide verdicts has changed between 1974 & 1991 & whether it varies according to coroner’s qualifications. States that due to […]

The use of airguns in attempted suicide is uncommon. The surface wounds caused by discharged pellets may appear trivial to medical examiners. 3 cases of attempted suicide are described & 9 other cases reported in the medical literature are reviewed. Of the 12 attempts 3 were fatalities. Most of the victims were males. 4 of […]

Legal procedures following a suicide death are often the cause of great anxiety for survivors & provoke questions that most caregivers are not equipped to answer. This brief outline of Ontario Coroner procedures defines terms like cause of death, manner of death, psychological autopsy, mode of death criteria (proof of intent, circumstances) & explains procedure […]

This article describes a clear-cut case of suicide & acute carbon monoxide toxicity as well as complicating factors such as appearance of an accident, absence of a suicide note, alcohol levels, incapacitation for acute medical reasons, family denial, & insurance money. It concludes that deaths in a closed garage due to acute carbon monoxide toxicity […]

An investigation into all deaths reported to a County coroner in Ireland (1978-1992) confirmed the suspicion that suicides were under-reported. Suicide, undetermined, & accident deaths were compared on a number of demographic variables. 35% of the deaths were, in the authors opinion, miscoded or unregistered. The greatest miscoding was for deaths due to drowning. The […]

291 college students & 10 forensic pathologists rated the lethality, time, & agony of 28 methods for 4,177 cases of suicide. Pathologists provided consistent ratings, but the students demonstrated extreme variability & a tendency to inflate ratings of all 3 dimensions. Significant gender differences emerged, with females rating frequently used methods more similarly to pathologists […]

This article reports on a presentation to the American Academy of Forensic Sciences about the lack of training for coroners & the subsequent problems with death investigations. Another presentation reported on a study done in a south Georgia county where a pattern of accidental suicides emerged – but only for whites. A likely reason for […]

Brief case studies of single-vehicle crashes are used to explore the relationship between this method of death & the intent to suicide. The concept of parasuicide guides this investigation & the data reported suggest that the hypothesized relationship may be valid. The authors conclude with a discussion of implications involving this mode of behavior. (22 […]

In this panel session, a policeman, a paramedic & a medical examiner discuss their professional roles when dealing with survivors of suicide. Two survivors also present their experiences with “first responders”. The final part of this session has the panel responding to the survivors & then presenting their approach in an outreach, educational component to […]

This pamphlet highlights some of the particulars of the Fatality Inquiries Act in Alberta, but it should not be considered a substitute for the Act. Brief information answers questions such as who should be notified, why an investigation may be necessary, can a body be moved, what is the role of the police in a […]

A 16-item instrument was constructed as a tool to assist officials in their investigations & certification of suicidal deaths. The Empirical Criteria for the Determination of Suicide (ECDS) was constructed & validated by using 126 suicide & accident cases obtained from 70 medical examiners. The 16 items retained in the ECDS discriminated suicides from accidents […]

This chater reviews some of the traditional ways in which psychological autopsises have been used, and then outlines two new ways in which the authors have found the psychological autopsy technique to be useful. The authors review two cases in which they used psychological autopsies in judicial and legislative settings. (93 refs.)

A retrospective study was done of 84 cases of suicidal hanging in the Cardiff area. 77 of the victims were male, 7 were females. This low incidence of female victims contrasts with other studies done in Denmark & the UK which reported higher incidences of hanging in women. No age group was identified as being […]

The case of a 34-year-old man who committed suicide is presented. This case history describes an unusual suicide in which scene investigation was essential in assisting the authorities in determining the manner of death. (5 refs.)

These 2 Letters to the Editor respond to Pounder’s earlier article (see SIEC AN 920944). The Letter by Eales cites sexual asphyxia to point out that not all deaths by hanging are suicidal. The Letter by Surtees shares Pounder’s view that a change in the burden of proof for suicide verdicts is overdue. He provides […]

This chapter presents a typology of suicide so as to promote the discussion between types of suicide & the right to die. The typology, based on extensions of the law on homicide to suicide, was developed from a review of the literature. It includes: mislabeled suicide, nonjustifiable suicide (murderous, masochistic, & suicide by surrender), & […]

The author, a medical examiner, describes the murder-suicide of his patient and his wife. The author made house-calls for this patient, an older man who had suffered a stroke & numerous heart attacks, and had mixed aphasia & depression. This patient eventually shot his wife & killed himself. The author reflects on this patient’s death, […]

This study analyzed 104 deaths involving phencyclidine (PCP) from 1981 to 1986 in St. Louis, Missouri. 4 of the subjects died from fatal PCP intoication, 81 by homicide, 13 by suicide, 6 from accidental deaths. In 50% of the deaths, other drugs were also detected. A dramatic increase in PCP abuse from 1984 to 1986 […]

This article describes a 1921 judicial case involving the death of an Australian woman, Hannah Jane Peden. Her husband was charged with homicide, & sentenced to death; however, he was later released & cleared of guilt. The medical experts at the trial had incorrectly proclaimed that Mrs. Peden could not have cut her throat herself. […]

This article describes the Hangman’s fracture, which is a traumatic spondylolysis of the 2nd cervical vertebrae occurring after road traffic accidents & hangings. A case history of an attempted self-hanging which caused a different type of fracture associated with soft-tissue injuries- a type III dens fracture- is described. A detailed description of the injury & […]

This article describes the suicide of a 25-year-old, who shot himself himself 8 times with a military rifle set on automatic. The autor discusses some of the pathologic features of firearm wounds, & the role of the medical examiner. He also describes how to determine whether a firearm death is an accident, homicide, or suicide. […]

This article describes the suicide of a 25-year-old depressed woman, who used a starter’s pistol loaded with CS tear-gas ammunition. The case of a 54-year-old man is also described. He was suffering from depressive psychosis, & committed suicide with an air rifle. Autopsy results are provided for both cases, & 26 other cases of suicide […]

This Alberta study of medical examiners used simulated cases in order to examine the variation in certification judgements among medical examiners. The influence of the characteristics of medical examiners & of victim characteristics were investigated. Experience, residence & the religion of examiners were found to be related to judgements, as were the gender, medical cause […]