Citation

Konopka T, Bolechała F, Strona M. Arch. Med. Sadowej Kryminol. 2003; 53(2): 117-128.

Copyright

(Copyright © 2003, Polish Forensic Medicine Society)

DOI

unavailable

PMID

14669648

Abstract

In view of the appearance of cases of homicides by stabbing in which the killer claims that the victim committed suicide cases of homicides and suicides of this type have been compared. Contrary to the opinions appearing in the medico-legal issues stating that the commonly described features of the suicidal wounds such as tentative wounds, stabbing in the intercostals space, "removal" of clothes do not appear in some of the suicides, a few of these features do appear in each of the examined cases. Having considered the horizontal wound arrangement in the skin, which is a newly described feature, the differentiation between homicides and suicides are more categorical. In addition to that, the low level of alcohol in the blood is an extremely characteristic feature of the suicide by chest stabbing. On the contrary, typical features of suicidal death don't appear in cases of "aggressive self-destruction", self inflicted fatal wounds inflicted by a person with mental disorders.

Language: pl

Keywords

Abdominal Injuries; Adult; Arm Injuries; Autopsy; Female; Homicide; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Neck Injuries; Poland; Suicide; Thoracic Injuries; Time Factors; Wounds, Stab