ABSTRACT
An X-ray of the hand is an important method in forensic science for estimation of the age of juvenile suspects with uncertain date of birth. Relevant X-ray standards for evaluation of skeletal maturity are available for white US Americans as well as for North and Central Europeans. The applicability of these standards to members of ethnic groups different from the reference population has been the subject of controversial discussion. More than 80 publications were analysed with the view to finding out whether skeletal maturation is affected by ethnic identity. It was concluded that skeletal maturation takes place in phases which are identically defined for all ethnic groups. Time-related differences in passing those stages of skeletal maturation within the relevant age group appear to be unaffected by ethnic identity. It is the socioeconomic status of a given population which is of decisive importance to the rate of ossification. The application of X-ray standards to individuals of a socio-economic status lower than that of the reference population usually leads to underestimation of that person's age. In terms of criminal responsibility, this is of no adverse effect on the person concerned.
Subject(s)
Age Determination by Skeleton , Bone Development , Ethnicity , Forensic Medicine , Adolescent , Adult , Black or African American , Age Factors , Australia , Bone and Bones/diagnostic imaging , Calcification, Physiologic , Child , Child, Preschool , Hand/diagnostic imaging , Humans , Indians, Central American , Indians, North American , Infant , Infant, Newborn , Native Hawaiian or Other Pacific Islander , Socioeconomic Factors , White PeopleABSTRACT
Reported in this paper is an attack of two adolescents on a man who was killed in the fight, with several kitchen knives being used, including two with grooved and wave-grooved blades. One of the offenders held the victim tight from behind and was injured by his attacking accomplice++. A grid mark on the left side of the victim's face and the left forearm of the second offender in the back supported the assumption of a knife with simple wave profile. Skin lesions of finer structure below the left ear and on the left forearm of the victim suggested involvement of a smaller kitchen knife with groove-milled wave profile. Offender-victim position and course of offence were verified and confirmed by evaluation of these specific findings.
Subject(s)
Facial Injuries/pathology , Homicide/legislation & jurisprudence , Lacerations/pathology , Skin/injuries , Adolescent , Arm Injuries/pathology , Autopsy/legislation & jurisprudence , Hand Injuries/pathology , Humans , Male , Middle Aged , Skin/pathologyABSTRACT
We report three cases where fatal neck injuries were caused by blanks from starting pistols. The weapons were loaded with blank cartridges or tear gas cartridges. Neither live ammunition nor any form of projectile was used. All three cases involved a contact discharge. The gas pressure caused by firing the weapons created extensive wound cavities in all three cases. Each victim died from blood loss as a result of ruptured cervical vessels; there were no air embolisms. In one case, a man shot himself eight times with two different starting pistols, and the wounds could be matched to each gun by the muzzle imprint marks on the neck.
Subject(s)
Neck Injuries/pathology , Wounds, Gunshot/pathology , Adult , Aged , Female , Forensic Medicine , Humans , Male , Neck Injuries/etiology , Suicide , Wounds, Gunshot/etiologyABSTRACT
The case of a 13-year-old boy injured by a Spanish souvenir harpoon is reported. Shooting experiments with the harpoon showed that serious injuries can be caused. The results are discussed and compared with the rare literature.
Subject(s)
Forehead/injuries , Wounds, Stab , Adolescent , Equipment Design , Firearms , Humans , Male , Radiography , Sports Equipment , Wounds, Gunshot , Wounds, Stab/diagnostic imaging , Wounds, Stab/therapyABSTRACT
A five-year-old girl was killed by her mother when she tried to pull the devil out of the girl's mouth by means of her hands. In that way the enlarged tonsils were pushed back and caused together with the woman's fingers a temporary closure of the hypopharynx and at least the suffocation of the child. About two years ago the woman began to show paranoic ideas exacerbating up to the fatal event.
Subject(s)
Asphyxia/pathology , Homicide/legislation & jurisprudence , Magic , Religion and Medicine , Adult , Child, Preschool , Female , Humans , Insanity Defense , Lung/pathology , Mother-Child RelationsABSTRACT
Criminal poisoning using chloroform to commit another crime has been published infrequently. A case of a 52-year-old robbery victim is reported. The man was found dead in a park with a yellow duster in a very close position to his nose and mouth. Autopsy revealed no serious pathological findings to explain the death. Because of the suspected violent application of a volatile compound and to avoid a loss of tissue concentration the samples for toxicological investigations were taken at the very beginning of the autopsy. The detailed results showed that a chloroform poisoning has been the only cause of death.
