pathcentre lessons from celebrity deaths dr clive cooke pathcentre
TRANSCRIPT
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LESSONS FROM CELEBRITY LESSONS FROM CELEBRITY DEATHSDEATHS
Dr Clive Cooke
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CELEBRITY LESSONSCELEBRITY LESSONS
Is it necessary to do anything differently?
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CELEBRITY LESSONSCELEBRITY LESSONS
presume a hidden (concealed) homicide scene clothing time of death blood stains conduct of the post mortem toxicology, etc
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SCENESCENE
scene often disturbed (cleaned)
encourage investigating authority (police) to have best scene investigators
evidence recording• Video• Photographs
evidence collection statements
(as if a homicide)
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BRIEFING MEETINGBRIEFING MEETING
prior to the Post-mortem examination Coroner investigating officer (police) pathologist (s) mortuary manager
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Mortuary FacilityMortuary Facility
State Mortuary not peripheral centre
Forensic pathologist not lesser pathologist
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Mortuary Mortuary
Security locked, refrigerated area (no access, even to staff)
body continuity sheet (register of all body movements)
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Attendance at PM Attendance at PM
Limited to essential, operations personnel mortuary staff (selected)
forensic pathologist (and observers)
Coroner operational investigators (police)
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Medical ObserversMedical Observers
2 forensic pathologists (including the most senior)
professor of pathology
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IDENTIFICATIONIDENTIFICATION
Avoid “Elvis lives” allegation - confirm identification objectively
dental chart (always)
fingerprints (always)
DNA• identification
• paternity
• body part dispute
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Timing of the PMTiming of the PM
normal working hours PM can be planned accusation of too hasty or too tardy
delay transcription of PM report
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Record of the PMRecord of the PM
photographs +++ (official)
video (prints and negatives to be secured)
whole body Radiology
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The PM ReportThe PM Report
closely controlled document homicide level and style
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PM EvidencePM Evidence
toxicology and other samples duplicates (at least)
• 1 set tested
• 1 set stored
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ToxicologyToxicology
there is often allegation of poisoning (irrespective of the COD and MOD)
routine toxicology samples (duplicated)
extras (duplicated)
• hair
• nails
• kidney
• whole of intestine (segmentalised)
• solvent samples – fat, lung, brain
• swabs – nares; hands
Joseph Stalin poisoned by KGB?
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Tested SamplesTested Samples
letter of referral to the lab confidentiality reaffirmed specific testing to be done return of unused samples to the Mortuary (retained)
cc the Coroner
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Body Part RetentionBody Part Retention
neuropathology recommended (likelihood of allegations of aberrant behaviour)
? other (Make sure the Coroner is aware)
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Release of BodyRelease of Body
after debrief identification certain NOK has been identified (multiple partners, children)
NOK aware of body part retention evidence collected – suitable and stored
formal authorisation of release
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AccusationsAccusations
expect accusations of bias incompetence cover - up conspiracy racism
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Outside InterestsOutside Interests
attempted interference whilst the case is hot media authorities
• senior police
• ombudsman
• politicians individuals
further inquiries (might last for decades) commissions of inquiry amnesty books
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Avoiding StressAvoiding Stress
stay above public hysteria (media; politicians; Coroner and mortuary staff; police; public – threatening calls and e mails; pathologists; doctors, etc)
don’t neglect (seek comfort in) normal business be aware of high rate of problems for the
investigators• burn – out
• divorce
• suicide
• dismissal
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Other SuggestionsOther Suggestions
don’t include the case in public presentations (Nelson Rockefeller – Dr M Baden)
don’t falsify information (Tennessee Williams, 1983 – Dr E Gross sent toxicology samples under another name)
don’t give press statements (remember – it is because you are socially inept that you have become a forensic pathologist)
don’t be careless (even if you have battled bureaucracy for years, are under resourced, with little support – this is not the time to make a statement)
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MARILYN MONROEMARILYN MONROE
body found face down on her bed in bedroom, room secure (by maid/nurse)
Dr Greenson attended (body stiff with rigor mortis – “5 minutes to straighten her out”)
police not called for 2 hours
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MARILYN MONROEMARILYN MONROE
problems with the scene examination : associated Press journalist impersonated Coroner’s
officer and gained access no drinking glass or water noted police report said 15 medicine containers on bedside
table – only 8 apparently sent to tox lab (bedroom cleaned the following day and containers destroyed)
delay in police call interference with body
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MARILYN MONROEMARILYN MONROE
problems with the mortuary : 2 photographers gained access, with whisky, and
photographed the body before post-mortem examination
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MARILYN MONROEMARILYN MONROE
Deputy Medical Examiner (Dr Tom Noguchi)
no injection sites (surface of body examined with magnifying glass, including beneath the tongue and vagina)
no tablet residue in stomach, or staining small bruise top of left buttock
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MARILYN MONROEMARILYN MONROE
toxicology : blood : Chloral hydrate = 8mg% liver : Pentobarbital (Nembutal) = 13mg%
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MARILYN MONROEMARILYN MONROE
DME advised Coroner on 10 August COD = “Acute barbiturate poisoning due to
ingestion of overdose” MOD = suicide (“probable” handwritten addition)
Coroner issued finding 1 week later
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MARILYN MONROEMARILYN MONROE
problems with Toxicology : not all intestine contents submitted (other than stomach)
no analysis other than blood and liver no confirmation of medication types (8/15 containers)
samples destroyed within a few weeks
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MARILYN MONROEMARILYN MONROE
alternative theories : accidental overingestion homicide
• injection
• enema
FBI - to protect Kennedy’s
Mobsters – linked to Frank Sinatra (alleged lover)
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MARILYN MONROE - LESSONSMARILYN MONROE - LESSONS
security - scene, mortuary and information scene – everything documented and retained (treated as a
“crime” scene)
post-mortem examination – retain too much toxicology
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MARILYN MONROEMARILYN MONROE
Born : Norma Jeane Mortenson 1 June 1926 (baptised Norma Jean Baker)
Died : Night of 4/5 August 1962 (age 36)
Childhood : foster care and orphanage
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MARILYN MONROEMARILYN MONROE
Married 3 times• 1942-46 : Jim Dougherty (she had just turned 16)• 1954-54 : Joe DiMaggio (baseball star – just retired))• 1956-61 : Arthur Miller (playwright)
1944 : Army promotions photo shoot led to photo model career
1946 : contract with 20th Century Fox – “Marilyn” from fellow actress and “Monroe” from mother’s family name
1950 : “The Asphalt Jungle” 29 movies
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MARILYN MONROEMARILYN MONROE
1950’s : increasing alcohol and prescription drug dependence
• Demerol (Morphine)• Barbiturates – Nembutal; Amytal; Sodium-Pentothal• Chloral hydrate
and occasional use of Mandrax and LSD Required medical treatment for overdoses 1961 : physical ailments included
• Cholecystitis (cholecystectomy)• Menorrhagia• ? Irritable bowel syndrome
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MARILYN MONROEMARILYN MONROE
1960 : Dr Greenson – psychiatrist to the stars
1961 : ? Relationships with JFK and Bobby (President and Attorney-General)
Evening of 4 August 1962 – several phone calls to friends – seemed very depressed; worried because had received threatening calls saying to leave Bobby Kennedy alone