Custodial death

forensic medicine

1. CUSTODIAL DEATH GOWTHAM M II MBBS 141

2. A death in custody is a death of a person in the custody of the police, prison service or other authorities . CUSTODIAL DEATH

3. deaths resulting from police or prison officers attempting to detain a criminal or a person escaping or attempting to escape from police custody or prison.

4. TRAUMATIC ASPHYXIA ARM LOCK OR NECK HOLDS BLUNT INJURY ALCOHOL SUICIDE NATURAL CAUSE OF DEATH

5. When several policemen fall upon a resisting offender to overpower him Traumatic asphyxia:

6. Arm-locks or neck holds: Applied by policeofficers to resisting persons are other causesof deaths during arrest. The arm lock is applied either from behind or with the head of the offender tucked under the police officer’s arm against the waist . CUSTODIAL DEATH

7. compression of the front and sides of the neck and death can occur . either from reflex cardiac arrest or cerebral ischemia during carotid compression or asphyxia from airway obstruction, though the latter is unlikely to be the sole mechanism .

8. Blunt injury may occur from the use of fist, arm or leg and by use of a weapon such as a truncheon, riot stick or pistol butt. Any type of blunt injury may be received. Head injuries may occur during a scuffle from falls either against the ground, or against a wall or other obstruction. CUSTODIAL DEATH

9. is a frequent cause of death in custody and also it is major factor in provoking aggression and violent resistance. When blood alcohol levels rise to above 350mg/100mL there is an increasing risk of coma and central respiratory depression. At lower blood alcohol levels there is still the risk of aspiration of vomitus and choking on gastric contents. At autopsy , this aspiration should be distinguished from the common agonal phenomenon . ALCOHOL

10. in custody are quite common. Most police forces deprive the prisoner of any objects that could be used to hang himself in the cells such as belts, braces, cord or even bootlaces . In addition, the police cell may be specifically designed to avoid any convenient suspension points, such as bars, hooks, internal door handles. SUICIDES

11. Deaths may occur from purely natural causes, usually of cardiovascular origin and no objective proof can be provided when the emotional and physical upset of being arrested an confinement may have affected the blood pressure and heart rate sufficiently, by an adrenaline response, to have precipitated an acute cardiaccrisis in the presence of severe preexistingdisease CUSTODIAL DEATH

12. All deaths in custody should be examined with care to ensure that the guardians are cleared of any suspicion of ill-treatment. The torture and custodial deaths are confirmed by circumstantial and corroborative evidence. The victim is usually in detention in or some form of custody . Investigations of Torture and Custodial Deaths

13. Such types of death are usually involved with the non-cooperating attitude of the authorities that are hostile to impartial injury. The cases are handed over to the responsible authorities such as Red cross, Amnesty International , Physicians for human rights. .There is usually delay in the process before a victim is being brought for examination, the injuries may have healed and body may have decomposed . Body is sometimes disposed off early. Investigations of Torture and Custodial Deaths

14. The causes of deaths in torture or custodial deaths may be sepsis, haemorrhage, internal organ injury and even sheer exhaustion. Investigations of Torture and Custodial Deaths