"From establishing identity to the close detective work of toxicologists and ballistics experts, Postmortem details the procedures that click into place once the victim of an unnatural or suspicious death is found. Color photographs and illustrations show the entire process to determine the why and how of an unnatural death: investigation of the death scene, external and internal autopsy procedures and, finally, establishing the cause and manner of death. Includes details of the latest technological and scientific advances that help solve mysterious deaths. Case studies of 10 famous (and infamous) deaths highlight how the scientific and technical investigations play out in real life. Profiles describe the roles and responsibilities of the postmortem team of experts, from the on-scene photographer to the autopsy technicians and the forensic anthropologist. Book jacket."--BOOK JACKET.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 176) and index.

Chapter 1. When a Body Is Found Crime Scene Investigation The Role of Death Investigators Crime Scene Photographer Death Scene Procedures Chapter 2. The Autopsy Protcol Examining the Dead A Body Arrives at the Morgue The Cooler The Autopsy Room Personnel Preparing for the Autopsy Real-Life Forensics: Cases Gone Wrong Assassination of President John F. Kennedy Mary Jo Kopechne Vincent Foster Jr. Ron Brown Anthony Proviano Chapter 3. The External Examination The External Examination Process The Body Examination Chapter 4. The Complete Internal Examination Opening up the Body Central Nervous System Chapter 5. When the Specialists Step In Forensic Toxicologist

Forensic Serologist Firearms Examiner Trace Evidence Examiner Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner Forensic Entomologist Forensic Epidemiologist Cadaver Dogs Chapter 6. The Determination of Identity Determining Identity Medical Identification Skeletal Identification DNA Dental Comparison Unidentified Bodies Chapter 7. The Cause and Manner of Death What Happens When You Die? The Death Certificate Manner of Death Undetermined Deaths Real-Life Forensics: Famous Cases Ted Bundy Joann Curley JonBenet Ramsey Dr. Harold Shipman Chandra Levy.