Spitz and Fisher’s MEDICOLEGAL INVESTIGATION …

1 Spitz and fisher sMEDICOLEGAL INVESTIGATION OF DEATH The search for truth is the essence of forensic pathology. This truth forms an essential link between the enforcement of law and the protection of the public in the administra-tion of justice. This illustration shows a sculpture by Una Hanbury, located in the lobby of Maryland s Medical Examiner s Building in Baltimore. The guardian figure on the left represents law. Next to it the doctor holds up the lamp of knowledge towards the symbolic figure of justice. Justice is interpreted in its aspect of love. The general public is suggested by the group of figures on the right. An inscription underneath the sculpture reads, Wherever the art of medicine is practiced there is also a love of humanity. (Hippocrates) Spitz and fisher sMMEEDDIICCOOLLEEGGAALL IINNVVEESSTTIIGGAA--TTIIOONNOOFF DDEEAATTHHG uidelines for the Application of Pathology to Crime InvestigationFOURTHEDITIONE dited byWWEERRNNEERR SSPPIITTZZ,, , Forensic Pathology and ToxicologySt.

2 Clair Shores, MichiganChief Medical ExaminerWayne and Macomb Counties (Retired)Professor of PathologyWayne State University, School of Medicine, Detroit, MichiganAdjunct Professor of ChemistryUniversity of WindsorWindsor, Ontario, CanadaCo-edited byDDAANNIIEELL SSPPIITTZZ,, Medical ExaminerMacomb county , MichiganAssistant Professor of PathologyWayne State University, School of MedicineDetroit, MichiganWith a Foreword byRRAAMM--Published and Distributed Throughout the World byCHARLES C THOMAS PUBLISHER, South First StreetSpringfield, Illinois 62704 This book is protected by copyright. No part of it maybe reproduced in any manner without written permission from the publisher. All rights reserved. 2006 by CHARLES C THOMAS PUBLISHER, 0-398-07544-1 Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 2004059844 With THOMAS BOOKS careful attention is given to all details of manufacturingand design.

3 It is the Publisher s desire to present books that are satisfactory as to theirphysical qualities and artistic possibilities and appropriate for their particular BOOKS will be true to those laws of quality that assure a good nameand good in the United States of AmericaSR-R-3 Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication DataSpitz and fisher s MEDICOLEGAL INVESTIGATION of death : guidelines for the application ofpathology to crime INVESTIGATION / edited by Werner U. Spitz , co-edited by Daniel ; with a foreword by Ramsey Clark. -- 4th ; bibliographical references and 0-398-07544-11. Forensic pathology. 2. Death--Causes. I. Title: MEDICOLEGAL INVESTIGATION of Spitz , Werner U., 1926- III. Spitz , Daniel J. IV. fisher , Russell S., 1916-[DNLM: 1. Autopsy. 2. Forensic Medicine. 3. Pathology. W 825 S7612 2004] 2004614 .1--dc222004059844To my fatherSiegfried Spitz , first and foremost teacherand to my motherAnna Spitz , relentlessly showed me the I.

4 ADAMS, Medical Examiner, Hillsborough county , FloridaAssociate Professor, Department of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of South Florida, TampaVERNON ARMBRUSTMACHER, Medical Examiner (Neuropathology), The City of New York, Office of the Chief Medical ExaminerClinical Associate Professor, Department of Forensic Medicine, New York University School of MedicineMICHAEL M. BADEN, , MEDICOLEGAL Investigations Unit, New York State Police, Albany, New YorkFormer Chief Medical Examiner, City of New YorkWILLIAM MARVIN BASS, III, EmeritusForensic Anthropology Center, University of TennesseeKnoxville, TennesseeRICHARD E. BISBING, Vice President, Director of ResearchMcCrone Associates, Inc. Westmont, IllinoisC. MICHAEL BOWERS, , Medical ExaminerVentura, CaliforniaB. G. BROGDON, Distinguished Professor Emeritus of RadiologyUniversity of South Alabama, College of MedicineConsultant in Forensic RadiologyOffice of the Medical Examiner, State of AlabamaMobile, AlabamaviiHEATHER MILLER COYLE, of Scientific Services, Department of Public SafetyConnecticut State Forensic LaboratoryMeriden, ConnecticutEDMUND R.

5 DONOGHUE, Medical Examiner, Cook county , Chicago, IllinoisClinical Professor of Forensic PathologyUniversity of Illinois at Chicago College of MedicineMARK A. FLOMENBAUM, , Deputy Chief Medical Examiner, City of New YorkClinical Assistant Professor of Forensic MedicineNew York University School of MedicineRICHARD C. FROEDE, , Forensic PathologyTucson, ArizonaGREGORY S. GOLDEN, OdontologistCounty of San Bernardino, CaliforniaNEAL H. HASKELL, Forensic Science and Biology Professor Saint Joseph s College, Rensselaer, Indiana Consultant, Forensic Entomology Rensselaer, Indiana LYNNE M. HELTON, Forensic ScientistMichigan State PoliceLansing Forensic LaboratoryBiology/DNA UnitLansing, MichiganJAMES M. HENRY, , Department of NeuropathologyArmed Forces Institute of PathologyWashington, INVESTIGATION of DeathCHARLES S. HIRSCH, Medical Examiner, City of New York, Office of the Chief Medical ExaminerProfessor and Chairman, Department of Forensic Medicine, and Professor of Pathology,New York University School of MedicineRAYMOND J.

6 JOHANSEN, Dental ConsultantSanta Barbara, CaliforniaSTANTON C. KESSLER, Medical Examiner, Hamilton county , Chattanooga, TennesseeAssistant Medical Examiner, State of TennesseeLecturer in Pathology Harvard Medical SchoolBoston, MassachusettsChief of Staff OCME (Former)LISA J. KOHLER, Medical ExaminerCounty of Summit, OhioCARLL LADD, of Scientific Services, Department of Public SafetyConnecticut State Forensic LaboratoryMeriden, ConnecticutHENRY C. LEE, Science Program, University of New HavenWest Haven, ConnecticutBARRY D. LIFSCHULTZ, Medical Examiner, Cook county , Chicago, IllinoisAdjunct Associate Professor of PathologyNorthwestern University Medical SchoolHERBERT L. MACDONELL, , , Laboratory of Forensic ScienceCorning, New YorkContributorsixJOSHUA A. PERPER, , , Medical Examiner and Director of Broward county Medical Examiner and Trauma Services Clinical Professor of Pathology, Epidemiology and Public Health, University of MiamiClinical Professor of Epidemiology, Novasoutheastern UniversityMARVIN S.

7 PLATT, , Medical Examiner (Retired), county of Summit, OhioAssociate Chairman (Retired), Department of Pathology Children s Hospital Medical Center of Akron, Akron, OhioEmeritus Professor of Pathology, Northeastern Ohio University College of MedicineRootstown, OhioBARBARA A. SAMPSON, , Medical Examiner, City of New YorkClinical Assistant Professor of Forensic Medicine, New York University School of MedicineRICHARD R. SOUVIRON, , Forensic DentistryMiami-Dade county Medical Examiner s OfficeDANIEL J. Spitz , Examiner, Macomb county , MichiganFormer Associate Medical Examiner, Hillsborough county , Floridaand Assistant Professor of Pathology and Laboratory MedicineUniversity of South Florida College of MedicineTampa, FloridaWERNER U. Spitz , , Forensic Pathology and Toxicology St. Clair Shores, MichiganChief Medical Examiner, Macomb and Wayne Counties, Michigan (Retired)Professor of Pathology, Wayne State University School of MedicineAdjunct Professor of Chemistry, University of Windsor Windsor, Ontario, CanadaBOYD G.

8 STEPHENS, Medical Examiner, City and county of San FranciscoClinical Professor of Pathology, University of California, San FranciscoxMedicolegal INVESTIGATION of DeathWILLIAM Q. STURNER, Medical ExaminerArkansas State Crime LaboratoryLittle Rock, Arkansas Professor of Pathology, UAMSDAVID SWEET, , Professor and DirectorBureau of Legal DentistryVancouver, British Columbia, CanadaFRIEDRICH UNTERHARNSCHEIDT, , Department of Neuropathology (Retired) Naval Aerospace Medical Research Laboratory, Detachment Naval Biodynamics Laboratory, New Orleans, LouisianaGLENN N. WAGNER, Medical Examiner, San Diego CountySan Diego, CaliforniaTHOMAS W. YOUNG, county Medical ExaminerClinical Associate Professor, University of Missouri, Kansas School of MedicineKansas City, MissouriContributorsxiFOREWORD MORDRE WOL OUT, Chaucer s Prioress tells us. But those who work inhomicide INVESTIGATION , forensic pathology, and criminal law knowbetter.

9 The true manner of death which may have been murder is not deter-mined in tens of thousands of cases annually in our violent land. The cost tothe nation in truth, justice, health, and safety is Hamlet put aside indecision, sentimentality, emotion, the wan griefspent on the skull of the jester of his youth Alas, poor Yorick! I knew him,Horatio and obtained an autopsy on his dead father, the King of Denmark,Shakespeare s play might have turned from tragical to historical. Surely, wenow see how our failures can affect history itself. The violent death of a Pres-ident will always cause the deepest fears and suspicions. There will always bethe allegation of gunfire from a grassy can determine the truth, and medical science must play a major coeditor of this important volume was one of four professionals I calledon as Attorney General, to review the autopsy photos and x-rays of ourbeloved President who looked forward to the day when America would nolonger be afraid of grace and beauty.

10 In a time of profound doubt and inter-national concern, with the highest integrity, self-discipline, and professionalskill, Dr. fisher contributed to those most reassuring phenomena, facts linkedtogether pointing to many men in America can qualify for such a task? That this is the firstvolume in twenty-five years dealing directly and effectively with the subjectof MEDICOLEGAL INVESTIGATION of death tells us that our neglect here is enor-mous. The deaths of John F. Kennedy, Medgar Evers, Malcolm X, MartinLuther King, Jr., Robert Kennedy, and Whitney Young, Jr., show how ourinadequacy can alter our 4:45 , on December 4, 1969, two young Black Panthers, FredHampton and Mark Clark, were killed by gunfire in the city of Chicago. Theshooting occurred during the course of a police raid on Panther followed an official inquest, a protest inquest, three autopsies, and threegrand jury investigations.