Citation

Dattillo FM. Am. J. Forensic Psychol. 2006; 24(1): 5-22.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2006, American College of Forensic Psychology)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

unavailable

Abstract

Despite having been used for decades, psychological autopsies have only recently gained attention in the professional literature as their acceptance in the legal forum has increased. Over and above assisting in understanding and discerning true cases of suicide, psychological autopsies may serve to augment defense strategies, such as in cases of criminal homicide. Most of the literature focuses on cases of suicide and!or accidental death, while little has been written about its use in homicide cases. This article reviews the recent literature on psychological autopsies and presents a case vignette in which the defendant was charged with criminal homicide. The defendant was vindicated based on evidence presented at trial. A discussion section addresses some of the pros and cons of using such autopsy procedures in defense strategies, as well as their potential use in future cases. Copyright 2006 American Journal of Forensic Psychology.

Language: en

Keywords

documentation; literature; human; homicide; suicide; autopsy; cause of death; interview; psychology; review; publication; accidental death; criminal justice; legal evidence; vignette; psychological autopsy; equivocal death psychological autopsy; forensic psychology