Crime Science: Methods of Forensic Detection

10. Pathology

PATHOLOGY As mentioned in the introduction, the earliest forensic scientists were physicians who were called upon to give an opinion as to the cause of death in individuals. Increasingly in the United States, medical examiner programs are replacing the old system of elected coroners, who are not required to have training. The first state medical examiner system was established in 1939 in Maryland.1 It is the task of the medical examiner , or the forensic pathologist (who has an M.D. degree), to assist in the identification of decedent, to determine the time of death, to conduct the autopsy, and to determine the cause ofdeath—those topics comprising this chapter. The case study is the death of Marilyn Monroe. IDENTIFICATION OF DECEDENT Regardless of who has the ultimate legal burden, the coroner or medical examiner works with law enforcement personnel and others to help identify the bodies of deceased persons. According to one authority: Few forensic endeavors offer a more challenging and creative exercise than establishing identification of the living or dead—challenging because identification with medical and legal certainty often requires thinking beyond routine fingerprint and dental comparison. Identification workups are creative in developing features that are unique as presented by an individual decedent. Beyond humanitarian considerations, identification is essential to the completion and certification of official documents . The accurate identification of a decedent permits certification 246 10 PATHOLOGY 247 of death and notification of next of kin. Only then may they proceed with the probate of wills, apply for disbursement of benefits and insurance , and begin to work through the grieving process. In the case of unidentified living persons, whether amnesia victims or abducted children without memory of who they are, or the injured and impaired, identification is necessary to re-establish their identity and their lives. Law enforcement agencies need positive identification to pick up the leads of investigation to develop suspects, establish the corpus delicti of homicide and reconstruct the sequence of events of a crime.2 To facilitate identification of a corpse, the following procedures are standard: Physical Description. A basic portrait parlé ofthe person should be given, much as if describing a living person. Height should be recorded, along with weight, color of eyes and hair, etc. It should be kept in mind that decomposition can affect the color of the skin (which can blacken to the extent that a Caucasian may appear Negroid), the color of the hair (blond hair darkens, while red or brown hair tends to become lighter and gray), and the weight (which may be overestimated due to bloating). If the hair color is patchy or varies near the scalp, dying is a distinct possibility, and samples should be taken for lab analysis.3 Scars and Marks. Part of the portrait parlé that deserves special mention are skin markings—birthmarks, scars, and so on. Tattoos may be especially helpful since they may indicate some past experience (such as a military insignia) or clue as to lifestyle ("jailhouse" tattooing, for example ), sexual preferences (such as gay motifs), or personal interests (such as a motorcycle insignia), and so on, including the decedent's initials or those of someone else. Sometimes tattooed numbers are found such as social security, military, or prisoner of war. Irregular scarring may indicate the former presence of a tattoo. In the case of indistinct tattoos, infrared photography, high-contrast photography, and computer image enhancement may be successful.4 Fingerprints. Fingerprinting is still the mainstay of identification techniques , and the basics of taking fingerprints from the deceased—in various states of decomposition—are described in chapter 5.5 The new AFIS technology makes it possible for identification by fingerprints to be accomplished with increasing speed. Photographs. The entire body should be photographed, as well as the full face and profile. The latter is particularly valuable in recording the shape of the ear—the feature of the face that is most like a fingerprint—which may be matched to an authenticated photograph. (See Recommended 2 4 8 CRIME SCIENCE Reading for Alfred Iannarelli.) Any scars or other distinctive features such as amputations should be documented in photos as well. The photographs may be shown to those who knew the deceased to provide a possible identification.6 Age Determination. The deceased person's apparent age may be roughly estimated by the teeth and—in the case of people under about twentyfive —the joining of the bones. X-rays provide...