Citation

Bessho M, Unuma K, Nara A, Uemura K. Leg. Med. (Elsevier) 2012; 14(4): 188-190.

Affiliation

Section of Forensic Medicine, Graduate School of Medical and Dental Sciences, Tokyo Medical and Dental University, 1-5-45 Yushima, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8519, Japan.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2012, Japanese Society of Legal Medicine, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.legalmed.2012.02.006

PMID

22498233

Abstract

A 64-year-old male was found dead in his house with his face covered with blood and a 38-caliber revolver between his legs. He had been suffering from type 2 diabetes mellitus and aftereffects of cerebral infarction. Autopsy revealed a normal round contact wound in the left lateral cervical region. A bullet from the firearm had entered through the left lateral cervical region and traveled to the outer right sternocleidomastoid muscle. This also triggered another wound from the fifth cervical vertebra to the muscle tissue near the right cartilage thyroid. At the end of this channel, there were three bone fragments. Here, we report this interesting case with two channels caused by a bullet and by a resulting bone fragment. We also discuss the characteristics of an ear lobe injury found on the victim and show how this injury and blood and skin on the revolver were used as clues to determine the posture at the time of the shot.

Language: en