INVESTIGATION OF SUSPICIOUS DEATHS

FORENSIC PATHOLOGY

Pathologist’s Viewpoint

• “What we require”

• INFORMATION

• Status of the Scene

• Liaison with Technical Bureau/ Scenes of Crime for Scene Visit

• Coroner MUST be informed!

SCENE VISIT

• Forensic Suit,Overshoes,Mask,Gloves etc.

• Photography/Video first

• Limit Examination of Body at Scene----DO NO DAMAGE!

• Body Temperature—may be preferable to defer until mortuary

• SWABS—if essential and can be taken without major disturbance

SCENE

• BAGGING of HEAD and HANDS

• PAPER v.Plastic bags

Removal of Clothing

• Disturbance

• Loss of Evidence

• Usually best avoided at Scene---unless special circumstances

Potential Weapons

• BAG for Scientific Examination

• Avoid bringing into mortuary dissecting room

• Can examine in a sealed container or bag,in an office,outside the P.M.suite

• While weapon still secure in a container,can take a photocopy

Body Temperature

• Of little evidential value

• Best left until mortuary

• Rectal temperature --- after swabs taken

• Ambient temperature at scene

• Mortuary has Space,Light,Technical Assistance

AUTOPSY

• Autopsy is NOT the end of the process,just the beginning

• Alcohol

• Toxicology for Drugs (Prescription and Illicit)

• Histology

• Neuropathology

• Cardiac Pathology etc. in rare instances

AUTOPSY

• Debriefing at end of P.M.

• Summary of Findings

• Statement if required

• N.B.--- the Pathologist’s provisional opinion may be revised by the time of the final report

ORGAN RETENTION

• MAY BE REQUIRED IN EXCEPTIONAL CASES

• Brain for Neuropathological Examination is commonest

• Heart for expert cardiac pathology

• Lungs --- Industrial Lung Disease

• MUST notify Next of Kin of Organ Retention

GLOSSARY

• WOUNDS and INJURIES

•

• 1. Bruises

• 2. Abrasions

• 3.Lacerations

• 4. Incised wounds (Slash wounds)

• 5. Stab (Penetrating) wounds

WOUNDS and INJURIES

• SIZE

• SHAPE

• POSITION --- relate to at least two anatomical landmarks

• Ageing of Injuries

PLEA to INVESTIGATORS

• PLEASE!!!

• Follow up with additional information requested by us

• Background Information

• Medical History

• Case Notes

• Clinical Summary (if patient was in hospital)

Investigation of a Suspicious Death

• Accurately establish the circumstances surrounding the death

Investigating Officer

• ASKS

• Has a crime been committed?

• If so,who is responsible?

• If the person responsible is traced,is there sufficient evidence to charge that person and support a prosecution?

Role of the Forensic Pathologist

• Cause of Death --- prompt P.M.

• Circumstances of Death --- Natural,Accident,Suicide or Homicide

• Time of Death --- Body Cooling,Rigor Mortis

• Identification --- Visual, Dental, DNA

• Collection of Trace Evidence

SCENE

• WHERE THE BODY IS DISCOVERED

• Where the person died?

• Where the person was injured?

• Where body moved to,or was moved to?

• Where the body was concealed?

• Where the body was removed from?

• THE BODY!!!

Why Visit the Scene?

• Because Someone Asked Me To• To View the Body In-Situ --- cf relationship

to furniture,signs ofdisturbance,bloodstains,potential weapons

• Assess how long dead• Preliminary Assessment of Cause and

Mechanism of Death --- marks,pattern of injury

Why Not Visit the Scene?

• No Body at Scene• Pathologist does not routinely visit Scene• Pathologist too Distant from Scene• Pathologist 2nd,3rd,4th to be involved• Swift removal of body from scene is

desirable• Scene is Unsafe• Initially not regarded as Suspicious

“REVISIT” the SCENE

• In Person after the P.M.

• View Photographs

• View Video

• Modern Technology --- Video links

• Sketches

• Witness Statements

Why Visit or Re-Visit

• Reconstruct Events

• Identify potential weapons,objects or surfaces that may have caused injuries

• Identify where the injuries were sustained

• Assess order of injuries

• Post-Injury Movement

• Continuous Attack v. Repeated Attacks

Doctor at the scene

• Confirm death

• preliminary assessment regarding cause of death

• unusual or worrying features, particularly injuries

• assessment of how long dead.

Doctor at the scene

• Confirm death• if obviously dead, disturb the body as little

as possible, unless the deceased is your patient and a ‘Death certificate’ is going to be issued

• do as much, but as little as possible, to satisfy yourself that the person is death

• bodies ‘recovering’ in the mortuary are not common.

Doctor at the scene

• Cause of death

• natural - dead in bed, sitting or lying on the floor, with no unusual findings

• accidental - usually obvious from the scene, usually injuries, pattern of injuries consistent with the circumstances

• suicide - scene suggestive e.g. drugs found, or conclusive e.g. hanging.

Doctor at the scene

• Cause of death

• ‘suspicious’

• position of body

• state of clothing

• marks or injuries on the body

Doctor at the scene

• Suspicious death

• do not disturb the scene

• disturb the body as little as possible

• do not make any unnecessary examinations

• record any changes you make

Doctor at the scene

• Suspicious death

• Locard’s principle

• ‘every contact leaves a trace’

• do not leave any unnecessary trace of you behind.

Doctor at the scene

• Suspicious death

• Ask where to walk,

• look at the ground,

• avoid obvious trace evidence e.g. blood stains, footprints etc.

Doctor at the scene

• Suspicious death

• keep your hands in your pockets

• do not touch anything other than the body

• keep your examination to a minimum

• do not remove any clothing and try not to disturb the clothing unnecessarily

Doctor at the scene

• Suspicious death

• check for a pulse

• check if breathing

• check if body feels warm or cold

• check if jaw, arms and legs stiff or floppy

• note, but do not disturb, any injuries

• do not attempt to make a full body examination

Doctor at the scene

• Suspicious death• keep your mouth shut• say as little as possible • do not attempt to give a definitive diagnosis• if you don’t say it it can’t be taken down and

used in evidence against you• ‘haven’t a clue, ask the pathologist’ should

be your stock phrase.

Doctor at the scene

• Suspicious death

• don’t be coerced to do or say more than you are comfortable with

• don’t take a temperature unless you have checked with the pathologist or you are prepared to interpret it