Coroner Talk™ | Death Investigation Training | Police and Law Enforcement  show

Coroner Talk™ | Death Investigation Training | Police and Law Enforcement

Summary: We are a community of professionals in the field of death investigation. Whether you’re a coroner, a member of local police or county law enforcement, an EMS professional, or medical examiner – or frankly, anyone in between, Coroner Talk™ is the right community for you. We provide training and resources to coroners and death investigators by and from professionals around the world, a peer to peer training environment. I recognized that the training available for coroners and small department investigators was limited by resources such as time away from department and expense. So, I developed Coroner Talk™. Darren is a 30 year veteran of law enforcement and criminal investigations. He currently serves as an investigator for the Crawford County Missouri coroner’s office. He holds credentials as an instructor for the Missouri Sheriff’s Training Academy (MSA), Law Enforcement Training Institute (LETI). American College of Forensic Examiners Institute (ACFEI) has served as president of the Missouri Medical Examiners and Coroners Association, and is certified and credentialed in numerous fields of investigation. He holds the position of lead instructor and facilitator for the Death Investigation Training Academy (DITA) and for the Coroner Talk™ community as he speaks and writes in the area of death investigation and scene management.

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 Opioid Epidemic – How is it effecting you? - Coroner Talk™ | Death Investigation Training | Police and Law Enforcement | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 34:10

Soaring numbers of overdose deaths are adding to woes already plaguing medical examiner and coroner offices, resulting in a shortage of places to store bodies and long delays in autopsies and toxicology testing. The Connecticut medical examiner’s office has considered renting a refrigerated truck to store extra bodies because its storage area has neared capacity at times.   St JOHNSBURY, VT – FEBRUARY 06: A syringe used for intravenous drug use lies on a table in a room on February 6, 2014 in St. Johnsbury, Vermont. Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin recently devoted his entire State of the State speech to the scourge of heroin. Heroin and other opiates have begun to devastate many communities in the Northeast and Midwest leading to a surge in fatal overdoses in a number of states. As prescription painkillers, such as the synthetic opiate OxyContin, become increasingly expensive and regulated, more and more Americans are turning to heroin to fight pain or to get high. Heroin, which has experienced a surge in production in places such as Afghanistan and parts of Central America, has a relatively inexpensive street price and provides a more powerful affect on the user. (Photo by Spencer Platt/Getty Images) Spencer Platt / Getty Images, file In Wisconsin, the Milwaukee County medical examiner’s office sometimes has to put bodies on Army-style cots in its refrigerated storage area because it runs out of gurneys. The Hamilton County coroner’s office in Cincinnati has a 100-day backlog of DNA testing for police drug investigations, largely because of increased overdose deaths. Medical examiners and coroners say overdose deaths are adding to a strain on their offices that already includes a surge of urban violence, inadequate facilities, budget problems and the shortage of forensic pathologists qualified to perform autopsies. Article Exerpt credit to: http://www.nbcnews.com/ Heroin has become so pervasive in cities such as Cincinnati and so profitable for the cartels that supply it that even cops admit the sporadic arrests they make have little effect. “It’s really not going to make any impact out on the street,” says Detective Brandon Connley, speaking from the damp parking lot outside the market. “Everybody and their mom sells drugs these days. There’s always somebody right there to pick back up.” Millions of Americans got hooked on pain pills during a prescription binge that started in the 1990s and peaked around 2011. As states have tightened monitoring and doctors have reduced dosages, it’s become harder for addicts to get prescription painkillers, driving many to get their fix off street drugs. Mexican cartels and big-city gangs have capitalized on the shift, extending networks of dealers across the U.S. and flooding the market with cheap heroin, according to law enforcement. Cartels have begun lacing heroin with synthetic opioids including fentanyl, making a dose more addictive and cheaper to produce. Overdose reversal shots are helping addicts survive, often to use again, giving dealers a steady supply of repeat customers. With persistent demand and increasingly wide profit margins, 2017 is shaping up as the most profitable year ever for the U.S. heroin trade. https://www.bloomberg.com   Medicolegal Death Investigation – Online Academy 

 Fire Scene Incident Command - Coroner Talk™ | Death Investigation Training | Police and Law Enforcement | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 59:35

As death investigators, a time will come when you must work a death related to a structure fire.  You have a job to do and evidence needs to be secured and protected. However, in these circumstances command and access issues can arise and “egos” can disrupt the calm flow of an investigation. One way, and maybe the most important way, to look at these scenes is, as long as smoke is showing, the fire department is in control. Even after the flames are no longer dancing through the structure, the building remains unsafe.  In instances such as this fire commanders are your best option for safety decisions. We all understand that Police take ‘control’ of the surrounding area keeping people at a safe distance as well as protecting the wider venue of the scene. After all, until it is determined if a crime was committed they (police) are still responsible for the scene.  But what about the Coroner/Medical Examiner investigator?  Aren’t they responsible for the most important piece of evidence at the scene, the body?  Where do they fit into this command structure?  Further, how does what Fire and Police do affect what the MDI needs. Fire Scene Incident Command Every fire scene has an incident command area, some are more structured than others and much of that depends on the scene as well as local policy and fire command training. But to some degree someone is usually in charge somewhere on the fire ground. According to Chief Pete Lamb of The Firefighter Training Podcast, the best option is that every incident command area be manned by a representative of every agency on scene. Police, Fire, C/ME, EMS, etc.   When this occurs, decision can be made and communications can be had, that will be in the best interest of all parties, or at least be known immediately by all agency commanders. It is also highly suggested that Coroner and MDI’s take the NIMS (National Incident Management System)  training. This will ensure that everyone on the scene is familiar with what incident command  should look like and how to structure a command operation. In the Episode In this episode I talk with Chief Pete Lamb about incident command operations and how fire fighters and MDI’s can work through possible command obstacles prior to a fire scene.  We also talk about scene preservation and evidence control techniques in an active fire.   Medicolegal Death Investigation – Online Academy  Coroners, Medical Examiner Investigators, Police, and Forensic students. This hybrid course looks at death investigation from a combined perspective of  law enforcement and medicolegal death investigations. MLDI online Academy  is a Nationally Accredited online training designed to teach all aspects of death investigation and scene management. Unlike any other coroner training today,  this course offers a blended learning style combining online self-paced video  training, along with opportunities of live interaction with instructors several times throughout the program, and a unique private facebook group open only to students of Coroner School™ where everyone can interact and ask questions. MLDI online Academy  is a six week guided course with certified instructors. However, at the end of the six weeks you still have access to all videos, downloadable material and the private facebook group. You can return to the online school  anytime to finish up the courses or as a refresher in certain topic areas.

 Part 2 -Dealing with the “jerk” at work – - Coroner Talk™ | Death Investigation Training | Police and Law Enforcement | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 33:48

Workplace Bullying is repeated, health-harming mistreatment of one or more persons (the targets) by one or more perpetrators. It is abusive conduct that is :   Workplace Bullying * Is driven by perpetrators’ need to control the targeted individual(s). * Is initiated by bullies who choose their targets, timing, location, and methods. * Is a set of acts of commission (doing things to others) or omission (withholding resources from others) * Requires consequences for the targeted individual * Escalates to involve others who side with the bully, either voluntarily or through coercion. * Undermines legitimate business interests when bullies’ personal agendas take precedence over work itself. * Is akin to domestic violence at work, where the abuser is on the payroll. Please know two things: * You are not alone * You did not cause bullying to happen Bullying is a systematic campaign of interpersonal destruction that jeopardizes your health, your career, the job you once loved. Bullying is a non-physical, non-homicidal form of violence and, because it is violence and abusive, emotional harm frequently results. You may not be the first person to have noticed that you were bullied. Check to see how many of these indicators match yours. Remember, you did not cause bullying to happen. We’ve broken down the major reasons why bullies bully. The primary reason bullying occurs so frequently in workplaces is that bullying is not yet illegal. Bullying is four times more common than either sexual harassment or racial discrimination on the job. Should you confront the bully? If you could have, you would have. Instead, use the WBI-suggested 3-Step Method. Remember, put your health first. Don’t believe the lies told about you. Spend time with loved ones and friends. At times of debilitating stress like this, you must not be isolated. Isolation will only make the stress worse. As we said, to date, no U.S. state has passed an anti-bullying law for the workplace. * This article is a re-print if excerpts from  Workplace Bullying Institute   To read full article and see many more resources click over to there site. Todays guest is Anita Brooks  of anitabrooks.com    Coroner School™ Coroners, Medical Examiner Investigators, Police, and Forensic students. This hybrid course looks at death investigation from a combined perspective of  law enforcement and medicolegal death investigations. Coroner School™ is a Nationally Accredited online training designed to teach all aspects of death investigation and scene management. Unlike any other coroner training today,  this course offers a blended learning style combining online self-paced video  training, along with opportunities of live interaction with instructors several times throughout the program, and a unique private facebook group open only to students of Coroner School™ where everyone can interact and ask questions.

 Dealing with the “jerk” at work – Part 1 - Coroner Talk™ | Death Investigation Training | Police and Law Enforcement | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 39:37

Workplace Bullying is repeated, health-harming mistreatment of one or more persons (the targets) by one or more perpetrators. It is abusive conduct that is :   Workplace Bullying * Is driven by perpetrators’ need to control the targeted individual(s). * Is initiated by bullies who choose their targets, timing, location, and methods. * Is a set of acts of commission (doing things to others) or omission (withholding resources from others) * Requires consequences for the targeted individual * Escalates to involve others who side with the bully, either voluntarily or through coercion. * Undermines legitimate business interests when bullies’ personal agendas take precedence over work itself. * Is akin to domestic violence at work, where the abuser is on the payroll. Please know two things: * You are not alone * You did not cause bullying to happen Bullying is a systematic campaign of interpersonal destruction that jeopardizes your health, your career, the job you once loved. Bullying is a non-physical, non-homicidal form of violence and, because it is violence and abusive, emotional harm frequently results. You may not be the first person to have noticed that you were bullied. Check to see how many of these indicators match yours. Remember, you did not cause bullying to happen. We’ve broken down the major reasons why bullies bully. The primary reason bullying occurs so frequently in workplaces is that bullying is not yet illegal. Bullying is four times more common than either sexual harassment or racial discrimination on the job. Should you confront the bully? If you could have, you would have. Instead, use the WBI-suggested 3-Step Method. Remember, put your health first. Don’t believe the lies told about you. Spend time with loved ones and friends. At times of debilitating stress like this, you must not be isolated. Isolation will only make the stress worse. As we said, to date, no U.S. state has passed an anti-bullying law for the workplace. * This article is a re-print if excerpts from  Workplace Bullying Institute   To read full article and see many more resources click over to there site. Todays guest is Anita Brooks  of anitabrooks.com    Coroner School™ Coroners, Medical Examiner Investigators, Police, and Forensic students. This hybrid course looks at death investigation from a combined perspective of  law enforcement and medicolegal death investigations. Coroner School™ is a Nationally Accredited online training designed to teach all aspects of death investigation and scene management. Unlike any other coroner training today,  this course offers a blended learning style combining online self-paced video  training, along with opportunities of live interaction with instructors several times throughout the program, and a unique private facebook group open only to students of Coroner School™ where everyone can interact and ask questions.

 Science Used in Death Investigations - Coroner Talk™ | Death Investigation Training | Police and Law Enforcement | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 35:40

In the job of investigating death, the investigator may use the resources of several different sciences to help determine many aspects of the death and subsequent  investigation. It is sometimes necessary to bring in expertise from outside an agency. The field of forensic science is so broad today no agency will have every form of specialty service available from among its ranks. Many Jobs – One Goal  When it comes to death investigation, EVERYONE involved as one goal regardless of job, title, education, position, or ego. That one goal is to accurately as possible, with facts and evidence known, to determine the cause and manner of death of a decedent  within a jurisdiction; and to cause an investigation to be completed as to weather a crime was committed or negligence was involved.  The science used in death and criminal/civil investigation are the same sciences used in nearly ever other academic setting. However, when used in our field it must have a Forensic designation. Forensic:  is relating to or denoting the application of scientific methods and techniques to the investigation of crime. The science may exist in academics and industry,  but when applied to criminal investigation it is considered forensic. Special training and certification is required for those seeking to use their expertise in criminal (forensic)  matters. Here are just a few examples of the Science Used in Death Investigations Forensic  Science Specialists * Medical Examiner/Coroner * Forensic Pathologist * Odontologist * Anthropologist * Entomologist * Forensic Psychology * Blood Pattern Analyst * Geologist Crime Lab Specialties  * Latent Prints * Firearms, Tool Marks, and Impressions * Writing Samples and Questioned Documents * Fire debris and arson analysis * DNA Analysis * Toxicology     Coroner School™ Coroners, Medical Examiner Investigators, Police, and Forensic students. This hybrid course looks at death investigation from a combined perspective of  law enforcement and medicolegal death investigations. Coroner School™ is a Nationally Accredited online training designed to teach all aspects of death investigation and scene management. Unlike any other coroner training today,  this course offers a blended learning style combining online self-paced video  training, along with opportunities of live interaction with instructors several times throughout the program, and a unique private facebook group open only to students of Coroner School™ where everyone can interact and ask questions. Coroner School™ is a six week guided course with certified instructors. However, at the end of the six weeks you still have access to all videos, downloadable material and the private facebook group. You can return to the online school  anytime to finish up the courses or as a refresher in certain topic areas. Medicolegal Death Investigation Scene Kit This exclusive first of its kind Medicolegal Death Investigation (MLDI) kit contains all the items you need to document and collect evidence from the most important piece of evidence at any death scene – The Body. Designed for Coroners, Medical Examiner Investigators, and anyone responsible to investigate and process a death.

 True Murder - Coroner Talk™ | Death Investigation Training | Police and Law Enforcement | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:09:59

This first hand true account of one of the most horrific  murders in Canadian history gives us an insight rarely gained into the mind of a murderer  and the forensics and documentation that goes into the prosecution of a murder of this caliber.  Dan Zupanksy was a prime witness in this case because of his relationship and correspondence  with the killer.  In this conversation we talk about the details of the murder and how it was prosecuted.   Below you will see actual drawings the suspect sent to Zupansaky during their correspondence .  This book is one of the few books that actual helps investigators understand the dynamics of a criminal investigation.  Actual court documents and testimony along with real correspondence Dan Zupansky is a podcast producer and author living in Canada.  His podcast True Murder is  widely popular and an  iTunes classic.  Rated best show in genre.  You can find links to his show and Trophy Kill TV  below….. Listen to the audio version or podcast for the full story. Links and Contact for Dan Zupansky http://trophykill.tv     Actual Drawings By the Suspect Used in Prosecution Coroner School™ Coroners, Medical Examiner Investigators, Police, and Forensic students. This hybrid course looks at death investigation from a combined perspective of  law enforcement and medicolegal death investigations. Coroner School™ is a Nationally Accredited online training designed to teach all aspects of death investigation and scene management. Unlike any other coroner training today,  this course offers a blended learning style combining online self-paced video  training, along with opportunities of live interaction with instructors several times throughout the program, and a unique private facebook group open only to students of Coroner School™ where everyone can interact and ask questions. Coroner School™ is a six week guided course with certified instructors. However, at the end of the six weeks you still have access to all videos, downloadable material and the private facebook group. You can return to the online school  anytime to finish up the courses or as a refresher in certain topic areas. Medicolegal Death Investigation Scene Kit This exclusive first of its kind Medicolegal Death Investigation (MLDI) kit contains all the items you need to document and collect evidence from the most important piece of evidence at any death scene – The Body. Designed for Coroners, Medical Examiner Investigators, and anyone responsible to investigate and process a death. This kit is equipped to collect fragile evidence such as DNA and fibers, take post mortem temperatures, document the scene through photography and sketching, as well as properly collect, transport, and store material evidence. This MLDI Kit can be used in large agencies for multiple MDI’s or one single kit for a smaller agencies. Packaged in a sturdy Pelican carry case with custom dividers and a pocketed pouch system. Built strong to withstand the demands from scene to scene. Click

 Your day in court - Coroner Talk™ | Death Investigation Training | Police and Law Enforcement | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 44:48

  Article Credit: Caliber Press 2007 – Are You Ready to Testify Policeone.com “When you’re testifying in court, the jury, the judge, the prosecutor, the defense, the public–all eyes are on you! Your reputation and that of your department may be enhanced or destroyed by your courtroom presentation,” says VanBrocklin. “There’s another equally important reason for you to care about being an effective witness in the courtroom. If you aren’t, all the work that you and your fellow investigators  did on the case, all that the victims and their families endured, all that other witnesses may have done over the many months and sometimes years it takes for a criminal case to go to trial–will have accomplished nothing more than a containment arrest. A single  ineffective presentation in the courtroom can result in the acquittal of a defendant, no matter the amount of solid evidence you may have collected.” 1. Dress for success Dress for your court appearance with the same attention to detail you would in going before a promotion board. You should be exceptionally neat—fingernails clean, hair trimmed, clothes pressed, shoes shined. Carry only the essentials—avoid items that jingle, jangle, flash, shine or otherwise distract. Your department policy may dictate whether you wear a uniform or civilian clothes when you testify. Often, on-duty officers will wear a uniform and off-duty officers will wear civilian attire. In state and local courts, you may be armed whether you are in uniform or not. (In federal courts you generally won’t be permitted to wear your firearm into court.) Be aware that some jurors are distracted by the sight of a witness in civilian clothes armed with a gun and carrying bullets, handcuffs, etc. even if they are testifying as a police officer. Discuss this possibility with the prosecutor before your appearance to decide what you should and should not carry. 2. Making your entrance Mentally prepare yourself for the fact that when you enter the courtroom everyone–jurors, judges, spectators, attorneys, the defendant, the court staff–ALL will be watching your entrance. Stay poised and remind yourself that this is how every witness is viewed. Don’t avoid looking at the judge or jurors; look back at them as you would a person speaking with you. 3. Taking the oath Sometimes, police officers who frequently testify in court come to view the taking of the oath as a rote exercise. This is clearly communicated in their attitude and demeanor. They may only partially raise their right hand and hold the fingers in a relaxed, cupped posture. They may fail to look at the person administering the oath or even engage in other action, such as clipping on a microphone, while the oath is being administered. They may start to seat themselves while saying, “I do.” Stop and consider what this communicates—even unintentionally—about the witness’ respect for the truth. Much of a juror’s impression about a witness’ credibility is based upon the witness’ demeanor rather than what the witness actually says on the stand. The last thing a law enforcement officer wants to communicate is a cavalier attitude towards the truth. The taking of the oath is an excellent opportunity for you to make a strong, credible first impression within which all subsequent testimony will be viewed. While taking the oath, look at and seriously listen to the person administering it. Keep your right hand at shoulder level with your wrist and fingers extended until the oath is completed. Think of the action as you would a ceremonial salu...

 How to Become a Death Investigator - Coroner Talk™ | Death Investigation Training | Police and Law Enforcement | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:11:30

What is a Medicolegal Death Investigator? The role of the medicolegal death investigator is to investigate any death that falls under the jurisdiction of the medical examiner or coroner, including all suspicious, violent, unexplained and unexpected deaths. The medicolegal death investigator is responsible for the dead person, whereas the local law enforcement jurisdiction is responsible for the scene. The medicolegal death investigator performs scene investigations emphasizing information developed from the decedent and determines the extent to which further investigation is necessary. Medicolegal death investigators should have a combination of education and skills encompassing areas of medicine and law. Who can become a Medicolegal Death Investigator? There are no formal requirements to become a medicolegal death investigator. Each coroner and medical examiner office has different hiring practices. A medicolegal death investigator must be knowledgeable of local, state and federal laws. In addition, a medicolegal death investigator must be the most medically knowledgeable person at the scene of the crime to determine if further investigation is necessary. Do I have to have a degree? There are no formal educational requirements specifically for medicolegal death investigation. Any degree program dealing with Forensic Science, Natural science, Anthropology, Nursing, or any other medically related field would be useful. There are several established training courses available throughout the country that teach the basic information needed in order to perform a thorough, competent medicolegal death investigation. How much money will I make as a Medicolegal Death Investigator? An investigator’s salary will be determined by the jurisdiction and amount of experience the medicolegal death investigator has. Salaries and benefits vary throughout the United States. What does a Forensic Science Technician do? At a crime scene, a forensic science technician will typically do the following: * Walk through the scene to determine what and how evidence should be collected * Take photographs of the crime scene and evidence * Make sketches of the crime scene * Keep written notes of their observations and findings, such as the location and position of evidence as it is found * Collect all relevant physical evidence, including weapons, fingerprints, and bodily fluids Catalogue and preserve evidence before transferring it to a crime lab. Forensic science technicians may use tweezers, black lights, and specialized kits to identify and collect evidence. In addition to processing crime scenes, they may also attend autopsies. In laboratories, a forensic science technician will typically do the following: * Identify and classify crime scene evidence through scientific analysis * Explore possible links between suspects and criminal activity using the results of chemical and physical analyses * Consult with experts in related or specialized fields, such as toxicology, about the evidence and their findings * Reconstruct crime scenes based on scientific findings Forensic science technicians reconstruct crime scenes by carefully studying information gathered by investigators and conducting scientific tests on physical evidence. For example, lab technicians may look at photographs of blood splatter patterns and conduct ballistics tests on bullets found at the crime scene to determine the direction from which a shot was fired. Forensic science technicians who work in laboratories use chemicals and laboratory equipment such as microscopes when analyzing evidence. They also use computer databases to examine fingerprints, DNA,

 911 Call Takers and Coroner School - Coroner Talk™ | Death Investigation Training | Police and Law Enforcement | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 41:29

  The stress of 911 call-takers Mark Bond Thursday, January 15, 2015   In 1967, President Lyndon Johnson’s Commission on Law Enforcement and Administration of Justice recommended that police departments have a single number for the public to call when they need police services. In 1968, Haleyville, Alabama, became the first city in the United States to start using the 911 system. Over the next several years, the 911 emergency phone system rolled out across the United States with a campaign to educate the public to dial “9-1-1” to report an emergency. Today, the modern 911 call center is staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year with police/fire dispatchers and 911 call-takers. These dedicated professionals are the lifeline for police and fire personnel dispatched to emergencies. When the public calls 911 to report an emergency, the 911 call-taker answers the phone using the Computer Aided Dispatch (CAD) system. The 911 call-takers are able to view the incoming call address or nearest cross streets if using a cellphone. The call-taker then codes the incoming call for dispatchers, sending it to the computer screens of police/fire dispatchers. The emergency dispatcher then determines which emergency units to send based on the information received from the 911 call-taker. Nonstop stress Working in a 911 call center is stressful. Hundreds of emergency calls are received during each shift, and it all starts with the 911 call-taker answering the phone with the standard “911 emergency, do you need police or fire?” When citizens call 911, they are often panicking because they are in an emergency and need police or fire service immediately. The 911 call-taker is trained to stay calm and speak in a clear tone, get the address and nature of the call, and make an immediate decision so he/she can electronically code the call in the CAD system for dispatch. The stress can be overwhelming at times: * A young mother is calling because her baby is not breathing, and she does not know how to perform CPR. * Another person calls at the same time to report the neighbor’s house is on fire, and there are elderly and children possibly trapped inside. * A few minutes later, another call comes in saying a motor vehicle accident is being reported with injuries. The 911 call-takers and emergency dispatchers deal with people in crisis, and they are hysterical when they dial 911 for help. It takes a mature calming voice on the other end of the line to reassure and start help on the way. The pace is nonstop, and seldom is there a break in the action before the next 911 call comes into the center, and the process repeats itself. The stress can be overwhelming, even for the most seasoned and resilient call-taker and emergency dispatcher. The study In 2012, professors Heather Pierce and Michelle Lilly from Northern Illinois University completed a study and published their work to the Journal of Traumatic Stress. The title of their research article is “Duty-related trauma exposure in 911 telecommunicators: Considering the risk for post-traumatic stress.” The study found that 911 call-takers and emergency dispatchers reported significant emotional distress directly related to handling emergency calls for help, and the repeated exposure has increased their risk for developing post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). This does not indicate that those working in 911 centers are going to develop PTSD. It only means they are in a higher risk category and to ensure that stress management programs are available along with professional mental healthcare access.

 Environmental Temperature Deaths - Coroner Talk™ | Death Investigation Training | Police and Law Enforcement | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 56:50

The determination of the cause of death from exposure to extreme temperatures is a diagnosis of exclusion. Because both clinical and autopsy findings are nonspecific, a thorough investigation of the background and scene, evaluation of temporally relevant environmental conditions, and assessment of the victim’s underlying state of health with appropriate laboratory studies, which frequently include autopsy, are essential to establish the cause of injury and/or death with reasonable medical probability. Individuals may encounter environmental extremes in many settings during any season. Hypothermia is defined as a core body temperature below 95 degrees. The drop in core temperature may be rapid as in immersion in near-freezing water, or slow as in prolonged exposure to more temperate environments. The effects of hypothermia are proportional to the change in temperature, with metabolic rate reduced in proportion to the fall in core body temperature. Hyperthermia is a condition in which the body either produces more heat, such as in fever, or absorbs more heat, thru excessive sun exposure. It is described as having an elevated body temperature brought about by failure in thermoregulation. Hyperthermia is defined as a temperature more than 37.5 – 38.3 °C (100 – 101 °F) – (Ref : Wikipedia) Read and Download Article Below  Hypothermia and Hyperthermia Medicolegal Investigation of Morbidity and Mortality From Exposure to Environmental Temperature Extremes Risk factors People most likely to experience hypothermia include: * The very elderly or the very young. * Those who are chronically ill, especially with cardiovascular disease. * People who are malnourished. * People who are exhausted. * Those intoxicated with alcohol or drugs. * People with cognitive impairment – eg, in Alzheimer’s disease. * Those with underlying medical conditions – eg hypothyroidism, stroke, severe arthritis, Parkinson’s disease, trauma, spinal cord injuries, and burns. Help us learn more about our community. Take this short 10 question survey to help  us tailor our podcast and training for you.     FingerSCAN DecedentID FingerSCAN DecedentID was designed and developed specifically for Coroners and Medical Examiners. This mobile application runs on various Android smartphones and tablets and works with the Integrated Biometrics Watson Mini fingerprint scanner. This solution is sold exclusively through WoVo Identity Solutions. USE DISCOUNT CODE  coronertalk and save $50 .  This is limited time spring 2017 Death Investigation Training Academy  has one goal; to provide the highest quality training using the most modern methods and technology. Death Investigation is all we do !  Many training agencies are well rounded and can fulfill the training needs in nearly every category of public policing and investigation.  At DITA we concentrate on death investigation and everything surrounding those investigations.  By becoming hyper-focused in this field we are better able to provide  intense and  specific training you and your investigators need.   coroner,police training, darren dake,

 Basics of Blood Pattern Evidence - Coroner Talk™ | Death Investigation Training | Police and Law Enforcement | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:02:52

Because blood behaves according to certain scientific principles, trained bloodstain pattern analysts can examine the blood evidence left behind and draw conclusions as to how the blood may have been shed. From what may appear to be a random distribution of bloodstains at a crime scene, analysts can categorize the stains by gathering information from spatter patterns, transfers, voids and other marks that assist investigators in recreating the sequence of events that occurred after bloodshed. This form of physical evidence requires the analyst to recognize and interpret patterns to determine how those patterns were created. Bloodstain pattern analysis (BPA) is the interpretation of bloodstains at a crime scene in order to recreate the actions that caused the bloodshed. Analysts examine the size, shape, distribution and location of the bloodstains to form opinions about what did or did not happen. BPA uses principles of biology (behavior of blood), physics (cohesion, capillary action and velocity) and mathematics (geometry, distance, and angle) to assist investigators in answering questions such as: * Where did the blood come from? * What caused the wounds? * From what direction was the victim wounded? * How were the victim(s) and perpetrator(s) positioned? * What movements were made after the bloodshed? * How many potential perpetrators were present? * Does the bloodstain evidence support or refute witness statements? Why and when is bloodstain pattern analysis used? Bloodstain evidence is most often associated with violent acts such as assault, homicide, abduction, suicide or even vehicular accidents. Analyzing the size, shape, distribution, overall appearance and location of bloodstains at a crime scene helps investigators by answering basic questions including: * What occurred? * Where did the events occur? * Approximately when and in what sequence? * Who was there? Where were they in relation to each other? * What did not occur? One of the most important functions of bloodstain pattern analysis is to support or corroborate witness statements and laboratory and post-mortem findings. For example, if the medical examiner determines the cause of death is blunt force trauma to the victim’s head, the pattern and volume of blood spatter should be consistent with a blunt instrument striking the victim one or more times on the head. Conversely, if the spatter resembles that seen in expirated blood spray, the analyst will check the medical examiner or pathologist reports for injuries that can cause the presence of blood in the nose, throat or respiratory system of the victim. If blood is not reported in these locations, the analyst may be able to exclude expiration as the possible cause of that spatter pattern. READ MORE AND GET YOU FREE EBOOK DOWNLOAD Free eBook –  Download here:  A Simplified Guide To Bloodstain Pattern Analysis coroner,police training, darren dake,sheriff,deputy,coroner association,murder scenes,auto fatalities,csi,first responders,autoerotic fatalities,become a coroner,forensic science crime scene investigation,forensic science crime,scene investigator,forensic training,forensics training,how to be a crime scene investigator,

 Forensic Anthropology – The Story is in the Bones - Coroner Talk™ | Death Investigation Training | Police and Law Enforcement | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:00:44

Forensic anthropology is the analysis of skeletal, badly decomposed, or otherwise unidentified human remains, and  is important in both legal and humanitarian contexts. Forensic anthropologists apply standard scientific techniques developed in physical anthropology to analyze human remains, and to aid in the detection of crime. In addition to assisting in locating and recovering human skeletal remains, forensic anthropologists work to assess the age, sex, ancestry, stature, and unique features of a decedent from the skeleton. Forensic anthropologists frequently work in conjunction with forensic pathologists, odontologists, and homicide investigators to identify a decedent, document trauma to the skeleton, and/or estimate the postmortem interval. In this episode  In this episode I talk with Dr.MariaTeresa A. Tersigni-Tarrant about what is forensic anthropology and how it can help you  in solving your case or answering the unanswered. We dive into the how-to’s of scene work and the obstacles that come with recovering and packaging skeletal  remains. Important Links  Dr.MariaTeresa A. Tersigni-Tarrant email:  m.tersigni.tarrant@gmail.com  ABFA – American Board of Forensic Anthropology: Todays Guest Dr.MariaTeresa A. Tersigni-Tarrant is a practicing, board-certified Forensic Anthropologist, one just over 100 individuals ever certified by the American Board of Forensic Anthropology.  Dr. Tersigni-Tarrant received her Bachelor’s of Science Degrees in Microbiology and Anthropology from Michigan State University in 2000.  She received her M.A. and Ph.D. in Physical Anthropology from the University of Tennessee in Knoxville.  Dr. Tersigni-Tarrant was awarded a post-doctoral fellowship in 2005 at the Joint POW-MIA Accounting Command’s Central Identification Laboratory (JPAC-CIL) on Hickam AFB, Hawaii.  During this fellowship, she was instrumental in establishing standard operating procedures for the histological analysis of human remains for the purpose of identifying missing armed-service members.  From 2006- 2012, Dr. Tersigni-Tarrant held several teaching positions at undergraduate, graduate and medical school institutions.  Most recently, as a course director and instructor, she developed and implemented curriculum for medical gross anatomy (including the laboratory component) and medical embryology for first year medical students.  Dr. Tersigni-Tarrant served as the Forensic Anthropologist for the State of Georgia-At-Large working with the Georgia Bureau of Investigation (GBI) from 2009-2012.  She continues to consult with GBI on various cases.  Dr. Tersigni-Tarrant returned to JPAC-CIL in 2012, where she was employed as a Forensic Anthropologist and managed the histology casework at the CIL.  She currently owns her own consulting firm offering consulting services related to forensic anthropology casework to medicolegal agencies including the Saint Louis City Medical Examiner’s Office, the GBI and the Department of Defense.  Dr. Tersigni-Tarrant s as an Associate Professor in the Department of Surgery’s Center for Anatomical Science and Education where she teaches gross anatomy and embryology to first year medical students, anatomy graduate students and PA, AT, PT and OT students. She also serves as the Director of Forensic Education and an Adjunct Associate Professor in the Department of Pathology at Saint Louis University, where she runs the Medicolegal Death Investigators training Courses and the Masters Medicolegal Death Investigation Course. Her research interests include bone biology; human and non-human histology, child abuse: patterned fractures and timing of healing,

 Professional Conduct – Skills and Attributes - Coroner Talk™ | Death Investigation Training | Police and Law Enforcement | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 58:36

Ethical behavior goes beyond simply knowing the difference between right and wrong; it is doing what is right. The purpose of promoting ethical investigation practices is to establish and promote clearly defined standards of conduct for investigators. These standards assist in protecting the investigator and the public. While some practices may be legal, the investigator must ask if they are ethical. The conduct of an investigator must be ethical at all times if he is to be taken seriously as a professional. Ethical behavior means adhering to the following 5 standards: 1.Confidentiality 2.Honesty 3.Ethical investigation practices 4.Avoiding conflicts of interest 5.Supporting equal rights   Along with ethics within every investigation. There also exists 4 primary skills that every successful investigator must have.  These  skills include: 1.Investigation Skills 2.People Skills 3.Intelligence 4.Work Ethic   Above every other  skill,  the two primary attributes of any successful investigator are; * Self Confidence- Optimism and assertiveness play a part in investigations. This can include assertiveness of an individual who depends on his or her knowledge of how to handle a difficult situation. * Integrity- Falsified facts and incomplete information can spell disaster for an investigator. It is absolutely essential that the investigators double check all facts and do not misrepresent themselves to others.     Forensic Photography Workshop and Training August 3 and 4 , 2017 <– Click the image to learn more.     . Help us learn more about our community. Take this short 10 question survey to help  us tailor our podcast and training for you.            FingerSCAN DecedentID FingerSCAN DecedentID was designed and developed specifically for Coroners and Medical Examiners. This mobile application runs on various Android smartphones and tablets and works with the Integrated Biometrics Watson Mini fingerprint scanner. This solution is sold exclusively through WoVo Identity Solutions. USE DISCOUNT CODE  coronertalk and save $50 .  This is limited time spring 2017 Death Investigation Training Academy  has one goal; to provide the highest quality training using the most modern methods and technology. Death Investigation is all we do !  Many training agencies are well rounded and can fulfill the training needs in nearly every category of public policing and investigation.  At DITA we concentrate on death investigation and everything surrounding those investigations.  By becoming hyper-focused in this field we are better able to provide  intense and  specific training you and your investigators need.   coroner,police training, darren dake,sheriff,deputy,coroner association,murder scenes,auto fatalities,csi,first responders,autoerotic fatalities,become a coroner,forensic science crime scene investigation,forensic science crime,scene investigator,forensic training,forensics training,

 Pt. 3 Cocaine, Killing and Coverup – Pathology - Coroner Talk™ | Death Investigation Training | Police and Law Enforcement | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 1:02:06

The question in this series is whether law enforcement ignored certain facts because it did not fit a pre-textual narrative or were simply instructed to look the other way resulting in  known facts and evidence never being considered. All this goes into the question of cocaine, killing, and coverup. This Episode In this episode I break down the pathology facts of the case as reported by the police, medical examiner and witnesses.  I cover the known and undisputed facts and start to point out some discrepancies with the investigation.  As we progress through this series it will up to you to decide if a cover-up occurred or was it just bad police work, or did Dennis Flowers actually commit these crimes. Dr. Fahmy Malak Not for commercial use. Solely to be fairly used for the educational purposes of research and open discussion. CLINTON’S TIES TO CONTROVERSIAL MEDICAL EXAMINER QUESTIONEDBy JAMES RISEN and EDWIN CHEN, TIMES STAFF WRITERSLos Angeles Times; Part A; Page 1; Column 2; National DeskMay 19, 1992, Tuesday, Home EditionThe governor and his board declined to fire Malak despite more than four years of public criticism of Malak’s work. The record shows that Malak testified erroneously in criminal cases, that his rulings were reversed by juries and that outside pathologists challenged his findings. In one instance, he misread a medical chart and wrongly accused a deputy county coroner of killing someone. In another, he based court testimony on tissue samples that DNA tests later indicated had been mixed up with other tissue samples. Malak’s controversial rulings include: * The Allbright case. On June 28, 1985, Raymond P. Allbright, 50, of Mountain Home was found in his yard dead of gunshot wounds. Allbright had been arrested the night before on charges of theft. Malak ruled his death a suicide. But Allbright had been shot five times; all five shots were in the chest. The weapon was a high-powered pistol. “We think,” says Maggie Hall, Allbright’s ex-wife, “he was murdered.” Malak’s attorney, Larry Carpenter, says the pistol was a semiautomatic capable of rapid fire and that the pattern of wounds “suggested the shots were fired in rapid succession.” * The Ives-Henry case. On Aug. 23, 1987, Kevin Ives, 17, and Don Henry, 16, were run over by a train near the town of Alexander. They had been lying squarely on the tracks. Malak ruled that they had been smoking marijuana and dozed off and had slept as the onrushing freight train bore down. But a second autopsy indicated that Henry had been stabbed in the back, that Ives had been struck on the skull and that both boys probably had been placed on the tracks unconscious, maybe already dead. A grand jury overruled Malak: The boys had been murdered. In response, Carpenter, Malak’s attorney, says: “Dr. Malak has said he doesn’t believe anybody laid a finger on those boys.” * The Malcolm case. On June 14, 1989, Andrew Smith, 59, who police said had shot himself, was declared brain-dead at University Hospital in Little Rock. Life support was withdrawn. A week later, Malak told officers that the order to end life support was given by a deputy county coroner, Mark Malcolm, who had not consulted Smith’s family — and that he would have to rule that “Malcolm killed him.” Police investigating Malak’s accusation discovered that the attending physician had used a medical symbol on Smith’s chart to show that life support was ended “after” the family had been consulted. The director of the state Health Department said Malak apparently had mistaken the symbol to mean “without” family consultation and apparently had misread the chart to mean that permissi...

 Pt.2-Cocaine, Killing, and Coverup - Coroner Talk™ | Death Investigation Training | Police and Law Enforcement | File Type: audio/mpeg | Duration: 59:51

The question in this series is whether law enforcement ignored certain facts because it did not fit a pre-textual narrative or were simply instructed to look the other way resulting in  known facts and evidence never being considered. All this goes into the question of cocaine, killing, and coverup. This Episode In this episode I break down the facts of the case as reported by the police, medical examiner and witnesses.  I cover the known and undisputed facts and start to point out some discrepancies with the investigation.  As we progress through this series it will up to you to decide if a cover-up occurred or was it just bad police work, or did Dennis Flowers actually commit these crimes.   Facts of case as reported by the UPI in 1984 Pharmacist Lee Dickson, 33, was found shot to death in his garage Thursday and his wife Karen was found dead in a chair where she had been tied. Their unharmed 2-year-old son let police into the house. Police did not know if the boy saw his parents killed. He was taken in by a Fayetteville police officer and his wife. Using dogs and an airplane, authorities tracked the 42-year-old suspect Thursday as he broke into two homes, demanding to use the telephone.Residents said the man called an attorney and said he had killed two people. He also threatened to kill himself, they said. At a home near Goshen, the man also asked for a drink of water then injected a substance into his arm, the residents said. Police said the man has a criminal record and a history of drug abuse. He has also been an outpatient at the Charter Vista Hospital in Fayetteville, a private hospital for mental illness and drug and alcohol problems. Security was tightened at the hospital Thursday night and early today and the grounds and nearby woods were searched for the suspect. Prosecuting Attorney Kim Smith received a tip early Thursday to check the Dickson home and the Consumers Pharmacy where Dickson had been manager, police said, but they would not identify the caller. Dickson had lost his job Tuesday after the disappearance of some drugs, police said. A car belonging to the Dicksons was found abandoned in a ditch at Goshen, and a .44 Magnum pistol was left in the car. Police said they did not know if the pistol was used to kill the Dicksons. The man was also suspected of burglarizing a house in Fayetteville after leaving Goshen, taking weapons and money, police said. Reality As with most media reports the facts as reported above are mostly wrong. Wrong facts, either because they made up “facts” to fill in what they did not have, (most likely) or that police told them the wrong information. What is known as fact is that Lee and Karen Dickson was murdered in their home on March 22, 1984. Within hours the police focused on one man as the killer – Dennis Ray Flowers.  The reason for the police’s focus is not clear in their reporting as we will point out in the weeks to come.  What is clear, is the police focused on Flowers and excluded any and all evidence that would point to another suspect.  Including loosing or destroying  certain evidence that did not fit a pre-determined time line and narrative. Disclaimer I am a law enforcement officer. I believe strongly that most police officers do their job in the best way possible. Given the current anti-police  climate of America today, I do not wish to have this series be seen as another anti-police story, 1984 was a very long time ago.   I also know however, that pressure from above (certainly if corrupt)  can be applied to modify or change facts in a case. This series will point out facts known to investigators and reported in certain documents and reports, yet either never acted on, ignored, or changed in subsequent reports.  The decision as to whether anything was done ...

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