Chapter
Death at the Hands of Police: Suicide or Homicide? (In: Suicide and Law Enforcement, edited by D C Sheehan & J I Warren)
Prial E M
This chapter explores the medical examiner’s investigative process leading to the final manner of death determination in a “death at the hands of police”. A comparison of police shooting cases investigated by several Chief Medical Examiner’s offices in a large metropolitan area reveals that it varies by office & by examiner. The final classification by the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner results in different psychological & legal sequelae for both the shooting officer & the victim’s family. JA