OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the features of autopsy cases involved in electronic weapon (TASER) in the State of Maryland, and to discuss the appraisable points. METHODS: Thirteen autopsy cases involving TASER were collected from 2004 to 2011 in the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, State of Maryland. All the cases include detailed scene investigations, complete autopsy, toxicological analysis and histopathological examination. Statistical analysis were conducted including general information of victim, type of TASER, type of contact, toxicological results, manner and cause of death. RESULTS: Majority of victims were male with an acute onset of agitated and delusional behavior. Drugs were often involved. Deaths were attributed to multiple factors. CONCLUSION Most of cases involved in TASER resulted from multiple fatal factors. Further researches are needed for the principal mechanism. Thorough scene investigation and complete autopsy examination play crucial role in evaluation of such cases.
Adult ; Autopsy/methods* ; Cause of Death ; Cocaine/analysis* ; Conducted Energy Weapon Injuries/etiology* ; Female ; Forensic Pathology ; Humans ; Male ; Maryland/epidemiology* ; Mental Disorders/complications* ; Middle Aged ; Phencyclidine/analysis* ; Retrospective Studies ; Substance-Related Disorders/complications* ; Trauma Severity Indices

OBJECTIVE: To investigate correlation between the changes of oxidation reduction potential (ORP) values of heart blood in rabbits after death and postmortem interval (PMI) at different temperatures. METHODS: Forty-eight rabbits were randomly divided into 6 groups and sacrificed by air embolism. Blood samples were taken from the right ventricle of each rabbit and stored at different temperatures of 10, 15, 20, 25, 30 and 35 degrees C, respectively. Every 4 hours from 0 h to 132 h postmortem, the ORP values of the blood samples were measured at different intervals by PB-21 electrochemical analyzer. The curvilinear regression equation was established by SPSS 17.0 software. The surface equation and 3D surface diagram were established by MATLAB 7.10.0 software. RESULTS: The ORP values at different temperatures of heart blood in rabbits were highly correlated with the PMI. The ORP values rised obviously when the temperature was high and rised slowly when the temperature was low. The surface equation and 3D surface diagram were obtained. CONCLUSION The surface equation and 3D surface diagram of ORP values and PMI may be used for PMI estimation at different temperatures.
Animals ; Blood ; Female ; Forensic Pathology/methods* ; Heart ; Male ; Oxidation-Reduction ; Oxygen/analysis* ; Postmortem Changes ; Rabbits ; Regression Analysis ; Temperature ; Time Factors