Comparing/differential situations
What is the difference between a medical examiner and a coroner?
Medical examiner: expected to bring medical expertise to evaluate the medical history and physical examination of the deceased
Coroner: a government agent charged with responsibility for death investigations
Define a forensic pathologist
Physicians specializing in diagnosis of disease and emphasizes the determination of the cause of death (the one to perform autopsies)
The different manners of death are _______, ___________, _________, ________, and ____________
Natural, accidental, homicidal, suicidal, and undetermined
What is the difference between cause of death and manner of death?
Cause of death: the disease or injury that initiated the lethal chain of event that led to death
Manner of death: A forensic pathologist is to determine whether death was caused of natural, accidental, homicidal, and suicidal
What does MDI stand for?
Medicolegal death investigator
Generally, ________ develops within an hour or so after death
Lividity
If a weapon such as a brick is used to inflict trauma, would you predict that the wounds that result are incised or lacerations?
Laceration
Define postmortem
After death examinations of a dead body to determine cause of death from changes in temperatures, environments, etc.
"The MDI will measure body temperature as well as environmental temperature and check for stiffening and other __________ (after death) changes."
Postmortem
What is the difference between manual strangulation and ligature strangulation?
Manual strangulation: consists the airway by compressing the neck
Ligature strangulation: whether from hanging or garroting; characteristically does not involve fracture of the hyoid
What are the 3 key changes?
Rigor mortis, livor mortis, and algor mortis
Blunt objects produce ___________ and sharp objects produce _______ ______.
Lacerations and incised wounds
What would the MDI do at a crime scene that is different from what a CSi would do?
MDI is to focus on the body as well as the crime scene. They also interview family and other key personnel as part of their work in understanding the context of the death
CSI is to collect physical evidence, secure the scene to prevent contamination, transport evidence to the lab, etc.
Define asphyxia
When oxygen is supplied to the brain it cuts off, which is similar/familiar to drowning
"Around the missing tissue are white fragments of lead, often called a ____ _________."
Lead snowstorm