The role of forensic pathology in suicide

Byard, Roger W.; Austin, Amy E.

doi:10.1007/s12024-010-9186-5

Cited by 16 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 8 publications

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“…The improvement in the medico‐legal investigation facilities that was achieved in Epirus the last 13 years made feasible the full medico‐legal examination of all unnatural death cases in this small jurisdiction area. Thus, reliable data were available for proper scientific evaluation . Data were collected retrospectively from a medico‐legal autopsy material and concerned the deaths directly associated to a range of poisonous substances.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fatal Intoxications in a Forensic Autopsy Material from Epirus, Greece, During the Period 1998‐2010

Boumba

Georgiadis

Mirescu

et al. 2012

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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In this retrospective study, we report the epidemiological characteristics of all poisoning deaths in Epirus, Greece, from 1998 to 2010; we present the toxicological findings and the statistical evaluation of the results. This is the first detailed scientific report on all the officially certified poisoning deaths concerning part of the Greek population. A total of 126 poisoning fatalities were recorded, 67 of them being mono-intoxications (53.2%). The cause of poisoning was as follows: drugs of abuse (60%); carbon monoxide (19.8%); pesticides (9.5%); corrosives (4.8%); pharmaceuticals (4.8%); and spider bite (0.8%). The most frequently detected poisonous substances were as follows: heroin (65 cases), ethanol (55), benzodiazepines (42), carbon monoxide (25), cocaine (17), cannabinoids (17) and pesticides (12). Increasing tendency in poisoning death rates was recorded, due to an increase in accidental poisoning deaths attributed mainly to drugs of abuse (total, accidental, and drugs-of-abuse poisoning death rates per 100,000 inhabitants per year were 1.87, 1.19, and 0.79, respectively, in the period 1998-2002 and 3.97, 3.41, and 2.55, respectively, in the period 2007-2010).

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Fatal Intoxications in a Forensic Autopsy Material from Epirus, Greece, During the Period 1998‐2010

Boumba

Georgiadis

Mirescu

et al. 2012

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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“…1 Service de M edecine L egale, CHRU Nancy, Nancy, F-54 000 postal, France. 2 Service d'imagerie Guilloz, CHRU Nancy, Nancy, F-54 000 postal, France.…”

Section: Case Reportmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Suicide represents a significant category of unnatural and preventable death in many countries around the world. Among them, gunshot wounds are one of the most frequent causes of death . In 2012 in France, suicide represented almost 11,000 deaths per year (16.7%), the 12th highest rate in the European Union.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

Atypical Suicide by Submachine Gun

Kolopp¹,

Blum²,

Leupold³

et al. 2018

Journal of Forensic Sciences

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In case of suicide, the presence of multiple entrance wounds is always suspicious. We report the case of a man who committed suicide by shooting himself three times in the chest and the skull with a submachine gun. The weapon seems to have been initially pointed in the precordium area with a lethal lesion of the proximal aorta. Two other projectiles were fired by the weapon and hit the neck and the skull of the deceased. The presence of three entrance wounds despite a first fatal wound could finally be explained by the characteristics of the weapon and wounds. Most suicides related to multiple gunshot wounds are explained by a first nonlethal shot but the use of an automatic weapon can also be found. In these last cases, medicolegal and criminalistics aspects become important in differentiating suicide and homicide.

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“…However, investigations also revealed that the 130 driver suicides were later omitted from the statistics of people killed in road traffic during this 10-year period (191). Thus, problems occur in the overall assessment of suicides when national data are relied upon to interpret incidence and trends over time (192) but data systems mostly exclude these driver deaths (175). Although suicide is a personal matter it is also a societal problem that requires greater attention and should be included in national statistics on road traffic deaths.…”

Section: Official Statistics On Driver Suicides In Norwaymentioning

confidence: 99%

The significance of preexisting medical conditions, alcohol/drug use and suicidal behavior for drivers in fatal motor vehicle crashes: a retrospective autopsy study

Breen

Næss

Gjerde

et al. 2017

Forensic Sci Med Pathol

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Driver fatalities in motor vehicle collisions (MVCs) encompass accidents, suicides, and natural deaths when driving. The objective of this study was to determine the significance of pathology and other autopsy findings for drivers in fatal MVCs. Forensic autopsy records of driver fatalities in southeast Norway between 2000 and 2014 were studied retrospectively. Data from individual police and collision investigation reports were also collected and analyzed. In 406 driver fatalities, the male/female ratio was 340/66; 9% died from natural causes, 9% were suicides, 65% were culpable accidental deaths, 14% were nonculpable deaths, and 3% were undetermined deaths. Head injuries and thoracic injuries were the most common causes of death. A seatbelt had been worn in 50% of the fatalities, and its prevalence did not differ between accidental deaths and suicides. Blood levels of alcohol and/or drugs that indicated impairment at the time of the collision were found in 40% (105/262) of all culpable accidental deaths but in 50% (64/127) of drivers aged up to 35 years. Pathology (most often cardiovascular disease) suggestive of sudden incapacitation before the collision was present in 24% (62/264) of drivers who were culpable in the accident and in 70% (46/66) of culpable drivers older than 55 years. A substantial proportion of drivers are killed in accidental collisions that may have occurred as a result of either alcohol/drug impairment or preexisting disease. Suicides and natural deaths both constitute significant proportions of MVC fatalities and may be misclassified unless a full inquest including an autopsy is performed.

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The role of forensic pathology in suicide

Cited by 16 publications

References 8 publications

Fatal Intoxications in a Forensic Autopsy Material from Epirus, Greece, During the Period 1998‐2010

Fatal Intoxications in a Forensic Autopsy Material from Epirus, Greece, During the Period 1998‐2010

Atypical Suicide by Submachine Gun

The significance of preexisting medical conditions, alcohol/drug use and suicidal behavior for drivers in fatal motor vehicle crashes: a retrospective autopsy study

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