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FORIMMEDIATERELEASE
November21,2014

Contact:TomWolf,NCNAACPtom@naacpnc.orgor5049404441

ExpertPathologistChallengesLennonLacyHangingDeath
CrimeSceneInvestigationinReporttoNCNAACP

DURHAM,NC:Dr.ChristenaL.Roberts,anexpertpathologistretainedbytheNorth
CarolinaNAACPtoreviewtheproceduresfollowedbylocalandstateauthoritiesin
handlingthepurported"suicide"oftheWestBladenboroHighSchoollinebacker,Lennon
Lacy,whowasfounddeadat7:25a.m.onAugust29,hangingfromachild'sswingset,
releasedherreportyesterday.Thereportsupportstheofficialautopsy'sfindingthat
Lennon'sheadwasnotmarkedbyanypronouncedvisiblewoundswhenitwas
photographedattheofficialautopsy,butiscriticalofmanyotheractionsoflaw
enforcement.

Dr.Roberts,aftermeetingwithDr.DeborahRadisch,theState'sChiefMedicalExaminer
whoconductedtheoriginalautopsy,raisedseveralchallengestothewaythebodywas
handledwhenitwasfirstdiscoveredhangingfromachild'sswingset,thewaythelocal
MedicalExaminerwastreatedbylawenforcementofficersatthescene,andtheway
evidencewascollected.Dr.RobertsreportedthatDr.Radischqualifiedheroriginal
findingsinseveralways:

1.Dr.RadischsaidherdeterminationofMannerofDeath(MOD)wasa"suicide"
wasbasedoninformationprovidedtoherbylawenforcementandthelocalmedical
examinerwhenshereceivedLennon'sbody.ShewouldhavelikelycalledtheMOD
"pending"untilshereceivedthetoxicologyreports(Lennon'sbodywasdrugand
alcoholfree)andfurtherreportsfromthelawenforcementinvestigation.Shenoted
theLocalMedicalExaminerorCoronerhadcategorizedtheMODas"suicide."

2.Dr.Radischsaidshewasnotprovidedwithphotographsordimensionsoftheswing
setshewasunabletoevaluatewhetheritwasfeasibleforLennontohanghimself

fromtheswingsetstructure.

3.Dr.Radishsaidifinvestigativeinformationwasprovidedbyanindependentagency
(police,SBIorotherinvestigativeagency,notthefamily)thatthemannerofLennon's
deathcouldbesomethingotherthanasuicide,shewouldreconsiderherdesignation
andwouldlikelychangeitto"undetermined"whileawaitingadditionalinvestigation.

4.Dr.Robertssaid"therearevariationsofthechokehold.Thevariationcalledthe
lateralvascularneckrestraint(LVNR)iswheretheanteriorneckisheldinthe
antecubitalfossa(frontoftheelbow)andtheforearmispulledtowardsthearm,
compressingthevesselsinbothsidesoftheneck."Dr.Robertsreportedthat"during
ourconversationwithDr.Radischsheagreedthatonewouldbeunabletotellat
autopsyifdeathoccurredviathistypeofchokeholdandthenthebodywasplacedin
asuspensionnoose."

5.TheBladenCountyCoronerorlocalMedicalExaminerreportedthatwhenhe
placedLennon'sbodyinthebodybaghewaswearingwhitesneakerswithout
laces.TheseshoeswerenotonthebodywhenhearrivedattheMedicalExaminer's
office.Reviewofthephotographsshowthattheyaresize10.5.Lennonworeasize12
andtheshoeshehadonthatnightweregray.DuringourmeetingwithDr.Radishshe
statedshehadaskedSBIabouttheshoesbuttheysimplyofferedithadbeen
explainedanddidnotelaboratefurther.Shealsonotedthatitwasnottheusual
practiceforpolicetoremoveclothingfromthebodybeforetransport.

Dr.Roberts'reportisbelow:

11/20/2014DeathInvestigationofLennonLeeLacy

ChristenaL.Roberts,MDCJConsultingofAmerica,LLC
7332NorthNatureTrailHernando,FL344423525621397

Thismemorandumistosummarizefindingsfrommyreviewoftheautopsyreportand
deathinvestigationinthedeathofLennonLacy,includingthereviewofthemedical
examinerfileanddiscussionwithDr.Radish.

Thebackgroundinformationprovidedwasthat17yearoldLennonLacywasfounddead
earlyinthemorninginamobilehomepark.Hereportedlyhadbeenfoundhangingbyhis
neckfromanoosethatwassecuredtoawoodenswingset.Hewascompletelysuspended
withhisfeetseveralinchesofftheground.Investigativeinformationprovidedwasthathe
wasfoundbyoneindividualandadifferentfemalecalled911andstatedthatshewasgoing
tocuthimdown.WhenEMSarrivedat7:30amtheypronouncedhisdeath.

AnautopsywasperformedbyDr.DeborahRadischattheOfficeoftheChiefMedical
ExaminerinRaleigh,NC.Thedetailsoftheautopsyarediscussedbelow.Herautopsy
findingsalongwithinformationprovidebypoliceresultedinherissuinganautopsyreport
withtheCauseofDeathlistedasAsphyxiaduetoHanging.TheMannerofDeathislisted
asSuicideonthedeathcertificateandontheMedicalExaminerInvestigationReport.The
familyandcommunityexpressedconcernsthattheydidnotfeelLennonhadtakenhisown

lifeandhadmanyquestionsaboutinjuriesseenonthebodyatthefuneralhomeaswellas
questionsaboutthepoliceinvestigation.

ReviewoftheBackgroundandInvestigativeInformation:
WhenconductingadeathinvestigationtodetermineCODandMODitisnecessaryto
gatheralloftheinformationabouttheperson'smedical,socialandpsychiatrichistoryand
theeventsofthedaysleadinguptotheirdeath.

TheinformationprovidedtotheMedicalExaminerOfficewasthatLennonwasdepressed
overtherecentdeathofhisuncle.ThefamilyreportedthatLennon'sgreatunclehaddied.
Hewasaskingquestionsaboutdeaththathehadnotdiscussedbeforebuttherewereno
expressionsofwishingtobringabouthisowndeath.Hedidnotexpressadesiretohurt
himselfortoawishtolongerbearound.Hewasnotmakingpreparationstoputhislifein
order.Forinstance,someindividualsmaygiveawayprizedpossessionsorletsomeone
knowtheycareaboutthattheywon'tbearound.Hedidnotwriteasuicidenoteorsendany
textmessagesthatwouldbethoughttorepresentasuicidenoteorsayinggoodbye.The
medicalrecordsarenotavailableatthistimeforreviewbutthereisnoreportthatLennon
hadattemptedsuicideinthepastorexpressedsuicideideations.Thereisnolongterm
historyofdepression.Thereisnohistoryofalcoholordrugabuse.

Incontrasttobeingdepressed,Lennonwaslookingforwardtoplayingthenextdayina
footballgameasalineman.Inaconversationthathehadthenightbeforehisdeathhe
explainedthathisgradesfromthepreviousyearhadn'tbeengoodenoughtoallowhimto
playvarsityfootball.Hehadbeenworkingveryhardatschooltoimprovehisgradesand
wasbeingrewardedwiththeopportunitytoplayinthegamethefollowingday.This
conversationwaswithamanwhoworkedforthefuneralhomeatadinnergathering
followingsomeportionofhisuncle'sfuneralevents.

Theeventsoftherestoftheeveningarepartiallyknown.Lennonwasathomewithhis
motherandfatherwhenhetoldherhewasgoingforawalkatapproximately10:30pm,
whichwasanormalhabitforhim.Whensheawokethenextmorningshehadnoreasonto
checkonhimasheregularlygothimselfreadyforschool.Shewenttoworkanddidnot
knowhewasmissinguntillaternotifiedofhisdeath.

InformationprovidedwasthatsometimeduringtheeveningLennonhadanargumentwith
hisgirlfriend.Afterthattimehewenttoamobilehomelocatedintheparkwherehewas
found.Familyhasexpressedconcernaboutonemalethatresidedatthemobilehome.He
hadahistoryofviolencesoseverethathecouldnotlivewitheitherofhisparentsandwas
stayingwiththepeoplewhoresidedthere...

Whenevaluatingifadeathrepresentsasuicidethatabilitytophysicallycarryouttheact
basedonthelimitationsofthestructureisevaluated.ThewoodenswingsetthatLennon
wasreportedlyhangingfromappearssolidlymadeinthephotographsprovided.The
photographsprovidedshowthatthenoosewasconstructedfromadoubleholedblack
canvasbeltthatwastiedendtoendwithabluecanvasbeltthathasaloopcreatedthrough
theDtypering.

Oneendoftheswingsethasaclimbingplatformattached.Thenoosewasreportedlytiedto
thesupportingcrossbeam(appearstobea2x6")andthenfedthroughametalgrommet
thatwasscrewedintothewood.Thisgrommetwas22.5"awayfromtheplatform.Lennon

was69"tall.Theheightofthecrossbeamtothegroundwas90".Inaphotoprovidedhis
brotherwhois6'4"couldnotreachupandtouchthebeam.Therewerenoswingsonthis
swingsettoactasasteptoreachthebeam.Therewasnoitempresentatthescenethat
Lennoncouldhavestoodon,appliedthenooseandthenkickedaway.Theonlyotherway
toreachthebeamandgrommetthereforehadtobefromtheclimbingplatform.No
measurementsareavailableatthistimeforthenoose(describedbelow)butitdoesnot
appearlongenoughtohavebeentiedaroundthebeam,fedthroughthegrommetandstill
allowalargeenoughloopforhimtobeabletoplaceoverhishead.Thesidestructureof
theplatformisarathersmallsquarethatisfurtherobstructedbythevshapedvertical
supportsoftheswing.

Thereareanumberofconcerningfactorsabouttheapparentnoose.Thepictureprovided
showthattheblackbeltwasnotconsistentwiththeonewornbyLennon.Thebluebeltis
reportedtobeconsistentwithabeltwornbyamalewhoresidedinthemobilehomewhere
Lennonwaslastknownalive.

Whatismostconcerningabouttheapparentnooseisthatthepersonwhocalled911said
shewasgoingtothecutthepersonshefounddown.Reviewofthephotographsshowthat
the2beltsaretiedtogetherwithasinglecuttoeachatthetiepoint.Theotherfreeendsof
thebeltsarecompletelyintactandhavenosecondarycuts.Onlyaveryshortpieceofeach
beltextendspastthetiedareaandcouldnothavebeentiedaroundthecrossbeam.Note
thatwhenmeetingwithDr.Radischshestatedthatwhensheexaminedthebeltshethought
someportionmustbemissingbecausetherewasnosecondarycutineitherbelt.

Lennonweighed207poundsandwasreportedlycompletelysuspended.Itisveryunlikely
thatafemalecouldlifthisbodyweight,supportitforaprolongedperiodanduntiethebelt.
Also,asshedidnothaveanythingtostandonshewouldhavetobewellover6'6"to
accomplishthisfromtheground.Notethatfuneralhomepersonnelstatedthatittook3men
tomoveLennonwhilemakingpreparations.

Thereisconflictinginformationaboutwhatoccurredatthescenebetweenthe
representativefromtheMedicalExaminerofficeandthepolice.Mr.Kinlawwasthelocal
medicalexaminerwhorespondedtothescene.Hereportsthatofficersdidn'twantan
autopsyperformedandhehadtohavetheDistrictAttorneyofficeorderone.Thecase
encounterformnotesthattheSBIagentwasrequestinganautopsy.Dr.Radischstatedthat
underthesecircumstancesanautopsyabsolutelywouldhavebeenperformed.Sheaskedthe
DAtoorderonebecauseofconflictbetweentheagencies.

Mr.KinlawalsoreportsthatwhenheplacedLennon'sbodyinthebodybaghewaswearing
whitesneakerswithoutlaces.Theseshoeswerenotonthebodywhenhearrivedatthe
MedicalExaminer'soffice.Reviewofthephotographsshowthattheyaresize10.5.Lennon
woreasize12andtheshoeshehadonthatnightweregray.DuringourmeetingwithDr.
RadishshestatedshehadaskedSBIabouttheshoesbuttheysimplyofferedithadbeen
explainedanddidnotelaboratefurther.Shealsonotedthatitwasnottheusualpracticefor
policetoremoveclothingfromthebodybeforetransport.

Thereisconflictinginformationconcerningwhyphotographswerenottakenatthescene.
Mr.KinlawreportedthatSBIwouldnotlethimtakephotographsatthesceneand
threatenedtotakehiscameraifhedid.ThecaseencounterformnotesthattheSBIagent
feltthatthiscaserepresentedasuicidebutwantedanautopsybecausetheyoungmanwas

darkskinnedandbruisesmaybemissed.HenotedthattheCrimeSceneTechs(CST)
agreed.ThenextsentencenoteshoweverthatnophotographsweretakenbecausetheCST
wasat"anotherhomicide".

ReviewoftheAutopsyFindings:
Theautopsyrevealedadryabradedligaturefurrowcompletelyencirclingtheneck.The
widthandpatternoftheabrasionisconsistentwiththecanvastypebeltsprovidedin
evidence.Thesuspensionpointwasontherightsideoftheneckinanareawhereabuckle
markconsistentwiththeDtyperingsisseen.Theligaturefurrowisabovethesuperior
laryngealprominence(underthejaw)whichisanormallocationforaligaturefurrowina
suspensionhanging.

Funeralhomepersonnelexpressedconcernthattheligaturefurrowwasmuchlowerthan
reportedintheautopsyreportandwasdownbythecollarbone(clavicles).Reviewofthe
autopsyphotographsconfirmsthefindingsatautopsy.

Inacaseofhangingtheinternalexaminationoftheneckshouldbenegative.Specifically,
therewillbenohemorrhageintheanteriorstrapmusclesoftheneckandnofracturesofthe
thyroidcartilageorhyoidbone.Atautopsytherewasnohemorrhageintheanteriorstrap
musclesoftheneckandnofracturesofthethyroidcartilageorhyoidbone.Therewasa
smallamountofbloodovertherightsideofthehyoidbone.Reviewofthephotographs
confirmsthisisconsistentwiththelocationofthebeltbuckleabrasionandthesuspension
point.

Itshouldbenotedthattherearevariationsofthechokehold.Thevariationcalledthelateral
vascularneckrestraint(LVNR)iswheretheanteriorneckisheldintheantecubitalfossa
(frontoftheelbow)andtheforearmispulledtowardsthearm,compressingthevesselsin
bothsidesoftheneck.Thisisbasicallyapinchermovementwithbothsidesoftheneck
betweenthearmandforearm.Thisholdcanbeappliedwithoutinjurytotheunderlying
internalneckstructuresorifthereisastruggletherecanbebloodinthemusclesand
fracturesofthesuperiorcornuofthethyroidcartilage.DuringourconversationwithDr.
Radischsheagreedthatonewouldbeunabletotellatautopsyifdeathoccurredviathis
typeofchokeholdandthenthebodywasplacedinasuspensionnoose.

Theautopsyreportnotesthattherewasnoevidenceofbluntforcetrauma.Therewereno
defensivewounds.

Familyandfuneralhomepersonnelalsoexpressedconcernsaboutinjuriesthattheysawon
thebody.Theynoteda"knot"ontherightsideofhisheadabovetheeyewhichappearedto
beapproximately1.0to1.5cmwideinphotographstakenatthefuneralhome.

Reviewoftheidentificationphototakenatautopsyclearlyshowsthatthebumpontheright
sideoftheforeheadwasnotpresentatthemorgue.Thisknotmusthaveoccurredafter
autopsy.Itcouldrepresentmuscletissuethatwascutinordertoopentheskullandthen
wasbunchedupwhenthescalpincisionwassewnatthefuneralhome.Itcouldalso
representamisalignmentofthe2portionsofskull.Itmayalsorepresentsomematerial
(likeclay)thatwasusedtokeepthe2portionsofskullfromsliding.

Concernswereexpressedaboutnumerousabrasionsofhisfaceandarms.Theautopsy
reportnotedthatthesewereabrasionsfromantpredation.Reviewoftheautopsy

photographsconfirmtheseabrasionsareconsistentwiththoseseenwhenlargenumbersof
antspredatethebody.Dr.Radischconfirmedtheantswereinlargenumbersandstill
activelybitingthebodywhenhearrivedatthemorgue.

Dr.Radischalsonotedthatshewasnotprovidedwithphotographsordimensionsofthe
swingset.Withoutthisinformationshewouldbeunabletoevaluatetheabilitytocreate
thisscenarioaswasdiscussedabove.

Dr.RadischnotedthatherdeterminationofMODinthiscaseassuicidewasbasedonthe
informationshewasprovidedbylawenforcementandthelocalmedicalexamineratthe
timeofautopsyandwhenpreparingherreport.ShewouldhavelikelycalledtheMOD
pendingwhileawaitingtoxicologyandinvestigationbuttheLMEhadalreadysignedthe
MODassuicide.

Shealsonotedthatifinvestigativeinformationwasprovidedbyanindependentagency
(police,SBIoranotherinvestigativeagency,notthefamily)thatLennon'sdeath
representedsomethingotherthanasuicide,thatshewouldreconsidertheMOD.Shewould
likelychangethemannerofdeathtoundeterminedwhileawaitingadditionalinvestigation.

###

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