Cause, Mechanism, and Manner of Death

• Author: D. P. Lyle
• Pages: 99-104

Cause, Mechanism, and Manner of Death 99

CHAPTER 7

CAUSE, MECHANISM,

AND MANNER

OF DEATH

Somewhere death occurs every minute of every day, but only a small por-

tion of these involve the crimin al investigative system. Though the coroner

or ME has the ultimate responsibility for signing and recording al l death

certificates, it is in cas es where criminal activity is suspect ed or civil litiga-

tion is involved that he brings his expertise to bear. And when he does, his

determination of the cause, mechanism, and manner of death are of para-

mount importance. Let’s define these terms:

• Cause of death: Why the individual died.

• Mechanism of death: The physiological derangement that lead to

death.

• Man ner of death: The reason and by whose hand the death

occurred.