Case 1 - Click here for Text and References

Submitted by: Glenn N. Wagner - Chief Medical Examiner, County of San Diego - San Diego, CA

Introduction:

The CSI TV series has done much to promote the interactions of the crime laboratory with the forensic pathology practiced in the medical examiner's or coroner's office. Both institutions utilize multiple disciplines in forensic science to pursue their investigations and collectively provide a comprehensive analysis of the incident and its players. This presentation focused on the characteristics of the San Diego experience will address the issues of victim identification, evaluation of the cause of death, and investigating the circumstances of death leading to an opinion as to manner of death-natural, accident, suicide, homicide or undetermined. The character of the case defines its investigation. In some cases, the focus is on public health; in others, public safety.