Internal Briefing Report
POST MORTEM EXAMINATION
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER
STATE OF MARY LAND
CASE NO. 56787
Partial Autopsy X Inspection 5y
JURISDICTION: Suspicious DME/FI
NAME OF THE DECEASED: JOHN MICHAEL PHILIPS
RESIDENCE OF THE DECEASED: 64 Church Street
MaryLand
Age: Unknown Sex: Male Race: White
DATE OF INCIDENT : Found, July 18, 2014 TIME: Found, AM
ADDRESS OF INCIDENT: 64 Church Street, Virtual, MD, located just next to the Westview housing project
PRONOUNCED DEAD : Morning Time: 2:18 AM
ADDRESS/INSTITUTION: Scane
DME/FI/OCME NOTIFIED: July 18, 2014 TIME: 3: 15 AM
BY WHOM : Danson Mathews
TRANSPORTED TO OCME: Philips
DATE OF AUTOPSY/INSPECTION: July TIME: AM
PERFORMED BY : Johnston Livingstone
CAUSE OF DEATH : (a) Self drug overdose Natural
(b) X Suicide
(c) Homicide
Other significant conditions:
The victim had lacerations in the face and also contusions in the skull and the skull was also damaged at the back since it had caved in which appears to have been knocked to a rocky surface really had causing the cave in on the back head. However, there was no sign of blood on the rocky surface around which the body was discovered.
HOW INJURY OCCURRED: Subject overdosed drugs and hit the head on a rocky surface
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Name: Joseph Austin Case Number: 56787 |
POST MORTEM EXAMINATION REPORT OFFICE OF THE CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER STATE OF MARYLAND
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A partial autopsy was performed on the body of John Michael Philips at the office of the Chief Medical Examiner for the state of Maryland on the 18th day of July.
EXTERNAL EXAMINATION:
The decedent was wearing a pair of blue trousers 34 in size, a size large white t-shirt, 10 in size medium white athletic pair of shoes with stripes blue in color and also no any pair of socks. The decedents possessed gold in color Citizen Wristwatch, one beaded necklace, several textile type costume jewelry, and single silver in color ring on the ring finger. The decedent was also carrying a large amount of cash $117 (5 $20 bills, 1$ 10 bills and 7 $1bills). He also had in possession $1.45 (4 quarter, 3 nickels and about 3 dimes). Apart from the clothing, every other belonging was taken away by the fatality detective who was assigned the sight by the medical examiner’s office and submitted later to the law enforcement.
EVIDENCE OF THE INJURY:
- Drug overdose
The victim had needle by the hand clear evidence that he had overdosed on drugs causing the victim to collapse. The decedent had multiple contusions and also the face and scalp had lacerations presenting another version of this case to the police department since it looked like a staged scene. The cause of death was treated as suspicious since the appearance of the head injuries seemed to have been caused by a much harder surface. The decedent had also no injuries to the back except for the head. The decedent had all white and natural teeth. No wounds on any body part or any surgical cuts either on the head or other body parts.
INTERNAL EXAMINATION:
BODY CAVITIES:
The victim’s body was opened by an incision in the head and in the stomach. The body had no adhesions but abnormal body fluids which were observed in the blood vessels a clear indication that the victim had an overdose. Drugs such as the cocaine are known to cause some psychotic behaviors; they also cause seizures and death due to taking an overdose of the same drug (Dürsteler, 2012).
HEAD:
The scalp and face had lacerations and also multiple contusions presenting a diversion about the decedent having an overdose only. It can be explained that the victim may have experienced a brain damage forcing the decedent to hit the head on a very hard surface. The skull was broken and a blood clot was observed in the back of the head as a result of the skull injury that seemed to be very severe (Dürsteler, 2012). The damage on the head and also the face even remain unrecognizable to determine the age of the individual since these body parts are damaged beyond recognition.
PATHOLOGIC DIAGNOSIS:
- Drug overdose
- The decedent had a needle by the hand: this appears that the victim injected himself with an overdose therefore causing the brain damage and thereby the cause of death.
- Injury to: skull and scalp therefore to the brain.
OPINION:
This middle aged individual appears to be a middle-class living status person due to the items, jewelry and the money found with him. He died of the drug overdose and also damage to the skull causing the brain damage. The manner of death is, therefore, SUICIDE.
Johnstone Livingstone Tom Mason
Assistant Medical Examiner Chief Medical Examiner
Date signed: 20th July
OFFICE OF THE CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER
STATE OF MARYLAND
111 PENN STREET
BALTMORE, MD 21201
Case # 56787 Lab: B705
Deceased Name: John Michael Philips
Medical Examiner: Brian Bwalei
Autopsied by: Mercy Brice
Jurisdiction: homicide
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Specimen Submitted |
Test |
Results |
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Blood heart |
Clot |
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Positive |
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Urine |
Drug test (comprehensive) |
Citalopram positive |
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Urine |
Drug test(comprehensive) |
Other drugs such as cocaine and marijuana Present |
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Blood heart |
Drug test(individual) |
Citalopram |
positive |
Toxicologist: Peter Medical Examiner: Brian Bwalei
References
Dürsteler, K. M. (2012). The Brain-Behavioral Connection in Substance Use Disorders and Effects Associated with Injectable Opioid Prescription. München: Utz, Herbert.
Hanson, G., Venturelli, P. J., & Fleckenstein, A. E. (2012). Drugs and society. Sudbury, MA: Jones & Bartlett Learning.
