the weapon fails to discharge, it is passed to

player, the cylinder can be spun again or not,

agai!, Valiations on the game ioclude fewer
6rearm or increasing the number of rounds i
increase the risk of death The motivation for playing the game varies from
displays ofbravery, showing offto frieDds, or heightening the act ofcommit
ting suicide. Russian roulette was made famous with the 1978 release ofthe
*o:ri" Th, Deer Hunter, which featured three soldiers captured during the
Vietnam War and, forced to Play Russian roulette as their caPtors gambled
on the results
The key question facing the forensic community after locating a victim
rvith a self-'inflected gunshot wound to the head resulting from engaging in
Russian rouletle is whether to rule lhe manner ofdeath as a suicide or as an
acciclent. Allhough there are no clear-cut rules tbr the forensic Pathologist
in the determination ofthe manner, some Euidelines have emerged lf the
victim was alone while ptaying the game, most ME/C ofices would rule that
death a suicide. Ifthe individual was playing the game with others and alcohol
or drugs were involved, the office would rule
juslification for this decision is based on the think
Dot trying to kiII himseli but rather showing of
impaired due to
Forensic epi death by Russian roulette should lirst
inquire as to the t ME/C office regarding Policy on how
to delermine the muler of death in these t)?es of cases
Psychological Autopsy
Introduction
Not al[ forensic investi8ations end after the forensic autopsy, which is essentially
a physical examination of the deceased's in[ernal organs Further
infoimation can be oblained by performing a psychological autopsy, rvhich
is d.esigned lo deiermine the mental status ofthe deceased prior to death'
Deffnition
The psychological autoPsy is de6ned as inYestigatin
reconstruciing what the Persor thought, felt, ard did
involves intewiewing those close to the deceased and
.ontained in written documenls
240 Forensic EpidemiologY
Briel Histoty of Psychological Autopsies
ing ofsuicide,
In the 1970s and l980s, researchers began using the psychological
autopq,method to invesrignte !isk faclors for suicide. Ps1'chological autopsies
have confirmed that the vast majority of suicide victims could be diagnosed
as having had a menlal d manic depression, or
alcohol o-r dtug problems upon the availabilty
offrearms in ih" Lo-", in persons'lives, and
otlrer psychological and social factors
The Use oI Psychological AutoPsY
be made
aPProPr
mo ssist in d
Est 20% otc
or of death

Psychological AutoPsY
lnrroduction
Not all ioreusic rnvestiSations end after the forensic autol'st" l'hich is essen
tiall,v a p\sicai examlnatiou of the cleceased's internal organs Furthei
,nfni-utinn can be obtained bl perlormtng a ps-rchological autops)" which
rs tlesignecl to deterlnjne the mental status ofthe deceased prtor to death'
Definition
The psychologrcal autoPs) rs dctined ts rnvestigating a person's death by
reconsiructing what the Petsou thought, felt' anct dici preccding death ThLs
involves interviewing those ciose to the deceased and gathering infornlation
.ontained in written documcnts
240
Bricf History

Brief History of Psychological Autopsies

The 6rst psychological autopsy studies were carried out in rhe early 1940s by
Gregory Zilboorg's invesligation of 93 consecutive suicides bypolice oficers
in New York City between 1934 aDd 1940 In 1958, tle chief medical examiner
of the I-os Angeles Coroner's Office asked a team ofprofessionals from
the Los Angeles Suicide Prryention Center to help in his investigations of
equivocal cases where the cause ofdeath md, in most cases, the manner of
death were not immediately cleu. Thepsychiatrist Edwin Shneidmao oined
the phrase "psychological autopsy" to describe the procedure he and his team
of researchers developed during these investigations The method involved
talking in a tactful od systematic manner to key persons-a spouse, lover,
parent, grown child, friend, colleague, physician, supervisor, or co-workerwho
knew the deceased. This practice ofinvestigating unclear deaths in Los
Angeles continued for almost 30 years and allowed for a more accurate classification
ofequivocal deaths as well as contributed to experts' understanding
ofsuicide
In the 1970s and t980s, researchers began using the psychological
autopsymeihod to investigate riskfactors for suicide, Psychological auropsies
have confirmed that the vast maioilty ofsuicide victims could be diagnosed
as having had a mental disorder-usually depression, manic depression, or
alcohol or drug problens, Other studies have focused upon the availability
offirearms in the homes ofsuicides, tmumatic events in permns'lives, and
other psychologicat and social factors
The Use of Psyciological Autopsy
CurreDtly, psychological autopsies have two maior uses: research investigation
and clinical and legal use Research investigations generally
involve comparing th€ deaths of individuals that died from suicide with
thos€ of another group-for example, accident victims-in order to see
what factors ale important in discriminating between suicides and other
dealhs, The clinical and legal uses of psychological autopsies involve the
investigation of a single death in order to clarify why or how a person
died. These often involve descriptive interpretations of ihe death and may
include information to help family and friends better understand why a
tragic death occurred Suggestions ofmeans ofpreventing suicides, such
as improvinS hospital treatment or preventing suicides in iails, can also
be made,
A psychological autopsy is appropriate for a number of reasons, but the
most common is typically to assist in determining the manner ofthe death
Estimates sugg€st that in up to 20% ofcases presented to a medical examinr
or coroner, the precise mode of death is undear. A psychological autopsy

can help acldress this ambiguity and establish u'hether death lvas a result of
natural causes, stlicide, acciderrt' or murder.
Conducting a Psychological Autopsy
1{ithin lhe context of a fbreD$c investigation, a psychological autopsy is
employed as a data collectrcn tool; rhe most common soutce is intervies'data
obtained from the family and fritnds of the deceased Obtaining the medi'
cal history of the deccased is also a central comPonent of the psychoklgical
autops)'. Intervielvr[8 the do.lor of the deceased and/or examining medi'a]
,".ur,], is tl .."fo.. moLher irnportant data collection source The natu'e of
tlre infornration collected rvould usually lnclude the follorving:
. biographlcal information (age nrarital status, occupatioi);
. p.rionrl iniornation (relalionshiPs' lifesty)e. alcohoi/drug use'
sources ofstress); and
. secondary inibrmation (fanily historr', police records, diaries).
It is important to note that, as with most data collection Protocois conducled
within a ps1'chologictl framervork, different methodological approaches
cxist.'Ille goal rvas best describecl by Berman and LitmaD ir1 1993 ns "Postdictive
analysis yielding an opinion giling a logical understanding of the
relationship between the deceascd and the eYents and behaviors that preceded
the death."