by Dean A. Beers, CLI, CCDI
Released 07/05/2012
Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC, is proud to make available the comprehensive "Reviewing and Comprehending Autopsy Reports", by Dean A. Beers, CLI, CCDI.
In order to understand the importance of the autopsy report, and how to interpret it, the reader should understand how all the other factors influence the report and why the reader cannot rely on the autopsy report alone. ‘Autopsy’ is from the Greek ‘autopsia’, meaning ‘to see with one’s own eyes’. This article dissects the autopsy report and supporting death investigation.
This comprehensive peer-reviewed white paper is available for purchase at www.ReviewingAutopsyReports.com. Complimentary copies and permission to publish for investigative associations are available. Inquiries can be made to AFI-LLC for consultation, training, and commentary on this and related areas of subject matter expertise.
For simplicity, all references will be to medical examiners and not on the difference between the medical examiner and coroner systems, or a hospital autopsy and forensic autopsy. For our purposes, the focus will be on the forensic autopsy conducted by a board certified forensic pathologist and autopsy technician. In addition, there are exceptions to every protocol, and jurisdictional policies will differ. Two important things to consider are: 1. the medical examiner’s office is an independent, often law enforcement based, agency which is supposed to be neutral as to their findings; they conduct separate investigations; and 2. these investigations are often concurrent and cooperative investigations between the medical examiner’s office and the law enforcement agency.
(c) July 2012
This press release can be viewed at:
-- http://archive.constantcontact.com/fs040/1103529694576/archive/1110406520154.html
-- http://www.prlog.org/11916898-immediate-release-reviewing-and-comprehending-autopsy-reports.html
-- http://www.free-press-release.com/news-immediate-release-reviewing-and-comprehending-autopsy-reports-1341505679.html
Published in ‘The Legal Investigator’ March 2010
2nd Place winner of Editor-Publisher Award 2010
National Association of Legal Investigators ‘The Legal Investigator’ magazine
This peer reviewed whitepaper has been extensively published nationally and internationally in multiple professional newsletters and magazines, including ‘Eagle Eye’ of the National Defender Investigators Association. It has also utilized as a chapter in Dean’s book ‘Practical Methods for Legal Investigations: Concepts and Protocols in Civil and Criminal Cases’ released in February of 2011 by CRC Press. In addition, it has been adapted into ‘Death Investigation for Private Investigators’ for PIEducation.com and will be adapted into a chapter written specifically for a colleague, with his book revision due out by CRC Press in late 2012. Dean A. Beers, CLI, CCDI and Karen S. Beers, BSW, CCDI are both Certified Criminal Defense Investigators (CCDI), and certified in Medicolegal Death Investigations to include as a forensic autopsy assistants; together they co-developed 'Death Investigation for Private Investigators' at www.MedicolegalDeathInvestigations.com. Dean formed the agency in 1987 and focused on general investigations, as well as individual locates, backgrounds and assets & liabilities. Karen began in 1996, gaining knowledge and experience in the same areas.
Dean is a Certified Legal Investigator (CLI) and expert in criminal defense homicide and civil equivocal death investigations. He has lectured extensively and authored multiple articles, peer-reviewed white papers, and provided expert testimony on Protocols of Private Investigation, and Forensic Investigation of Injury Pattern Analysis. He authored Professional Locate Investigations and recently completed Practical Methods for Legal Investigations: Concepts and Protocols in Civil and Criminal Cases, released by CRC Press in February 2011. Their subject matter expertise is Death Investigation and Injury Causation.