Citation

Pollanen MS. Am. J. Forensic Med. Pathol. 2003; 24(1): 51-54.

Affiliation

Forensic Pathology Unit, Office of the Chief Coroner, and the Department of Pathobiology and Laboratory Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Lippincott Williams and Wilkins)

DOI

10.1097/01.PAF.0000050693.70683.97

PMID

12604999

Abstract

Incaprettamento is a ritualized form of ligature strangulation often associated with the Italian Mafia. The hallmarks include ligature strangulation and binding of the body in a highly stereotyped fashion. The bindings include tying the wrists and ankles together, with the body in the prone position (similar to "hogtying"), and an additional ligature encircling the neck and attached to the bindings of the extremities. The binding of the body may be performed after death is inflicted by ligature strangulation, or it may be associated with self-strangulation, as shown by the arrangement of ligatures and the position of the body. A case with great similarities to incaprettamento, in which the body was exhumed from a grave in East Timor, is described in detail. However, in addition to prone-position binding and a hyoid fracture, chopping wounds of a knee and blunt trauma to the posterior torso were found. The implication of these wounds is discussed in relation to incaprettamento.

Language: en