Citation

Beltrame B, Baig S, Verzeletti A. Leg. Med. (Elsevier) 2023; ePub(ePub): ePub.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2023, Japanese Society of Legal Medicine, Publisher Elsevier Publishing)

DOI

10.1016/j.legalmed.2023.102324

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

The role of the forensic pathologist is central to both identifying the cause and determining the manner of death. Distinguishing a suicide from a homicide or accidental event is essential to define whether third parties are involved in death. Suicides are most frequently performed using a single method; therefore, they can be defined as simple. The term "complex suicide" refers to a form of suicide in which two or more methods are applied by the victim, simultaneously or in chronological succession, to achieve the death. The different methods may have been planned in advance to prevent failure of the first method or may occur because the first method was not effective or was too painful, so the victim quickly seeks another way to complete the suicide. "Complicated suicides", on the other hand, are characterised by an unintentional secondary trauma following the suicidal act. This study analyses 35 complex suicides and 4 complicated suicides investigated at the Institute of Forensic Medicine in Brescia (Italy) during the period 1983-2022. Some data about the cases are discussed. This study aims to demonstrate how multiple lesions on the victim's body are not in themselves indicative of the intervention of third parties in their production, but complex and complicated suicides must always be considered.

Language: en

Keywords

autopsy; Complex suicide; complicated suicide; planned and unplanned suicide