1. Autopsy
Forensic Pathology

2. Forensic Pathologist
Also called medical examiners or coroners.

3. Role of the Forensic Pathologist
4 broad determinations are to be made by the pathologist:
Cause of Death – medical diagnosis denoting disease or injury
Mechanism of Death – physiology by which disease/injury produces death (arrhythmia, exsanguination)

4. Role of the Forensic Pathologist
4 broad determinations are to be made by the pathologist:
C. Manner of Death
1. Homicide 2. Suicide
3. Accidental 4. Natural Causes
5. Unknown
D. Time of Death

5. Manner of Death-Natural
Natural: 80 year old dies of congestive heart failure.
Natural deaths are the cause of the majority of deaths that occur.

6. Manner of Death-Natural
The manners of death in this category include:
Heart failure
Disease
Death during sleep etc.
The autopsy reveals certain aspects of the death, whether it occurred suddenly, unexpectedly or if the person was critically ill and hadn't seen a doctor in the last two weeks.

7. Manner of Death Homicide-death caused by another person
Suicide-death inflicted upon self
Accidental-unintentional and without malice, group swimming and one drowns
Unknown/Undetermined-absolute cause not able to be determined

8. Role of the Pathologist
Determine type of wound
Measure the dimensions (length, width, depth)
Position relative to anatomical landmarks
Determine initial location of wound involves cutting, slashing, etc.
Determine height from heel

9. Types of Wounds (Trauma)
Lacerations
Incised Wound
Stab/Puncture
Abrasion
Contusion
Gunshot

10. Abrasions
Ante-Reddish Brown
Post- Yellowish

11. Contusions
Assuming the victim was healthy, color changes a contusion or a bruise goes through can give rough estimate of time of injury:
• Dark blue/purple (1-18 hours)
•Blue/brown (~1 to 2days)
•Green (~ 2 to 3 days)
•Yellow (~3 to 7 days)

12. Gunshot Wounds Things for pathologist to learn: • type of firearm
• distance of gun to victim
• entrance vs exit wounds
• track of projectile

13. Gunshot Wounds
Stippling – powder burns on the skin when the gun is inches to a few feet from the Victim
Starring of a contact wound – barrel touching the skin