The criminal transmission of HIV: Issues with condom use and viral load
This article considers two issues in relation to the criminal transmission of HIV. Currently, the use of condoms, and a defendant’s viral load, has not been an issue that has been raised in the courts. The article considers how the defence, prosecution and judge may deal with such evidential issues. It will discuss how an expert opinion may be utilised or discredited by counsel for the defendant and counsel for the prosecution. The article will consider how the defence can demonstrate that the defendant was not reckless and how the prosecution can establish that the defendant was actually reckless. It will also asses...
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - October 15, 2014 Category: Medical Law Authors: Hughes, D. Tags: Viewpoint Source Type: research
The Last Page: Question
(Source: Medicine, Science and the Law)
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 19, 2014 Category: Medical Law Tags: The Last Page Source Type: research
The Last Page: Answers to questions from issue 54(2)
(Source: Medicine, Science and the Law)
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 19, 2014 Category: Medical Law Tags: The Last Page Source Type: research
Law and science
(Source: Medicine, Science and the Law)
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 19, 2014 Category: Medical Law Authors: Prior, S. Tags: Law and science Source Type: research
Retraction notice
(Source: Medicine, Science and the Law)
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 19, 2014 Category: Medical Law Tags: Retraction Source Type: research
Philemon and Baucis, Diogenes and syllogomania, Wischnewski and hypothermia - Gastric mucosal lesions in partially mummified bodies
We present a case of two brothers who died simultaneously, where their deaths could be considered to be a form of a Philemon and Baucis death; they also showed signs of Diogenes syndrome and syllogomania. The two brothers had been living in a socially isolated state and had not left their flat for months. They were found dead during the winter, in a flat with no heating. Taking the poor condition of the flat into consideration, it can be assumed that a draught existed and, therefore, the bodies were exposed to convection, that is, ventilation and low humidity, which is what caused partial mummification to the exposed areas...
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 19, 2014 Category: Medical Law Authors: Živković, V., Nikolić, S. Tags: Case reports Source Type: research
Fatal hemothorax due to homicidal blunt trauma to carotid artery in the neck
A 30-year-old man was found dead in a pool of blood inside his office room in the morning. Autopsy revealed a small contusion at the lower anterior part of neck, laceration on the left common carotid artery, hemothorax and a laceration over the nose with underlying fracture. On investigation, it was found that on the previous night the victim had been assaulted by his domestic help with an iron rod over head and neck. The blunt trauma to the neck resulted in laceration on the left common carotid artery and subsequently bled, causing fatal hemothorax. The authors report this case owing to the rarity of such patterns of inju...
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 19, 2014 Category: Medical Law Authors: Behera, C., Krishna, K., Singh, S., Lalwani, S. Tags: Case reports Source Type: research
Kitchen knives and homicide: A systematic study of people charged with murder in the Lothian and Borders region of Scotland
A recent English study demonstrated high rates of kitchen knife use in homicides by mentally disordered offenders subject to independent inquiries. Everyone accused of homicide in Scotland undergoes psychiatric examination; all such evaluations in a Scottish region between 2006 and 2011 were systematically analysed to identify homicide characteristics. It was hypothesised that kitchen knives would be the commonest sharp instruments used, and would be associated with unplanned domestic homicide against known victims, with no independent association with mental disorder. Kitchen knives were used in 32 of 55 homicides: 94% of...
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 19, 2014 Category: Medical Law Authors: Kidd, S., Hughes, N., Crichton, J. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
Estimation of time since death from electrolyte, glucose and calcium analysis of postmortem vitreous humour in semi-arid climate
Estimating time since death (TSD) with fair accuracy from postmortem changes still remains an important but difficult task to be performed by every autopsy surgeon in medicolegal scenario. The aim of the present study was to estimate TSD from electrolyte analysis of postmortem vitreous humour collected from samples under semi-arid climate. Vitreous humour was collected from 210 dead bodies brought to University College of Medical Sciences and Guru Teg Bahadur Hospital, Delhi, during the period of November 2010 to April 2012. The vitreous samples were analysed for sodium, potassium, calcium, chloride and glucose. The result...
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 19, 2014 Category: Medical Law Authors: Siddamsetty, A. K., Verma, S. K., Kohli, A., Puri, D., Singh, A. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
Can immunohistochemistry quantification of Cathepsin-D be useful in the differential diagnosis between vital and post-mortem wounds in humans?
Markers of skin wound vitality and the research methodology used for their determination are still matters of debate in forensic pathology. Cathepsin-D, a lysosomal enzyme, is the most expressed cathepsin in human skin, and although it seems to have the necessary requirements to be utilized as a vitality marker, past research has provided no definitive and clear response on its potential usefulness. Immunohistochemistry with monoclonal antibodies and image analysis has been employed to detect and quantify the expression of Cathepsin-D in human skin wounds. We analyzed skin fragments obtained from 20 living individuals (gro...
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 19, 2014 Category: Medical Law Authors: Montisci, M., Corradin, M., Giacomelli, L., Viel, G., Cecchetto, G., Ferrara, S. D. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
Autopsy findings in bodies repatriated to the UK
Following the death of a British National on foreign soil, a primary investigation is conducted by the authorities of that country; HM Coroner and the United Kingdom police have no jurisdiction to conduct investigations abroad. Upon repatriation of a body, the legal investigation in the UK remains largely unchanged since the publication of the "harmonisation of medico-legal autopsy rules" (1999) and the passing of the Coroners and Justice Act (2009). We identified 44 cases within a 10-year period. An invasive autopsy had been performed abroad in 25 cases; an autopsy report was received prior to UK autopsy in one case. Seve...
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 19, 2014 Category: Medical Law Authors: Williams, E. J., Davison, A. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
A developing world perspective on homicide and personality disorder
High rates of psychotic disorder among special populations of homicide offenders, females, youth and the mentally disordered, have received much investigation. Personality disorder, especially antisocial personality disorder, augments the relative risk ratio of violence, especially in combination with substance use disorder. Few studies of these correlates of violence and especially homicide have been reported in low- and medium-income countries (LMIC). Using the structured clinical interview for DSM diagnosis (SCID), personality disorders were identified in a cross sectional study involving 546 homicide offenders in Jimma...
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 19, 2014 Category: Medical Law Authors: Mela, M., Audu, M., Tesfaye, M., Gurmu, S. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
A study of elderly unnatural deaths in medico-legal autopsies at Lucknow locality
The main aim of this study was to determine the causes and epidemiological aspects of unnatural deaths in the elderly. Data were collected on 4405 male and female victims of unnatural deaths aged 50 years or more from the total number of 21,235 autopsies performed in King George’s Medical University, Lucknow, India over a 5-year period, from 2008 to 2012. There were 3165 male victims and 1240 female victims. Unnatural deaths were higher in rural (64%) than in urban (37%) areas. Accidental deaths were the most common manner of unnatural deaths (59%), followed by suicidal deaths (34%) and homicidal deaths (7%). Traumas...
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 19, 2014 Category: Medical Law Authors: Kumar, S., Verma, A. Tags: Original articles Source Type: research
The future for forensic science
(Source: Medicine, Science and the Law)
Source: Medicine, Science and the Law - June 19, 2014 Category: Medical Law Authors: Samuels, A. Tags: Viewpoint Source Type: research
