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This test consists of 5 short answer questions, 10 short essay questions, and 1 (of 3) essay topics.

Short Answer Questions

1. Claus von Bulow was originally found guilty of what?

2. What does Baden believe killed Gail Morris?

3. Why were the corrections officers not supposed to take part in the raid?

4. How did Baden know Fried's death was not suicide by overdose?

5. Why did Claus reject the idea of arguing that Sunny committed suicide?

Short Essay Questions

1. Explain the situation that causes some teenagers and adults to accidentally commit suicide by hanging during sexual experimentation.

2. Describe the symptoms of a heroin overdose, and how it kills.

3. Explain why the DA dropped the three additional murder charges against Kuklinski.

4. Explain how Carl Cappolino killed William E. Farber.

5. Explain the circumstances surrounding the finding of Daphne Mellon's vehicle, personal items, and body, and why those findings led to questions.

6. Explain Ondine's syndrome.

7. How did Baden know Paul Fried had not committed suicide?

8. Explain why the prisoners at Attica were rioting, including those things mentioned that were problems for the corrections board.

9. Describe how Barry Schwartz and Kenneth Hess were killed by the other inmates.

10. Explain why doctors believed Sunny von Bulow was suffering from low blood sugar on her arrival the third time at the hospital, in spite of EMT belief that she was suffering an overdose.

Essay Topics

Write an essay for ONE of the following topics:

Essay Topic 1

John Belushi died of an overdose of heroin, according to Baden. Cathy Smith admits to giving Belushi the drugs, although she disagrees with his time of death, or that her specific injection caused his death. Regardless of these facts, do you think that, even if Cathy had injected Belushi's final dose, that her act constituted a crime? Why or why not? What does Baden say about most drug injection murder cases? Why did Belushi's case differ? Did Belushi's record of massive drug addiction predispose him to die of an overdose, regardless of who injected him? Why or why not?

Essay Topic 2

In Chapter 1 of the book, Baden discusses the concept of celebrity death, and the effect of a flawed autopsy on the perception of foul play surrounding the death. Do you think conspiracy theories are derived from the life of the celebrity, or the circumstances surrounding their death, or both? Why? What aspects of life or death help frame a conspiracy theory following death? Why do some celebrities suffer such beliefs after their death and some do not? Based on this, do you think forensic science can have an effect on these ideas? Why or why not? What does this say about forensic science?

Essay Topic 3

There are several cases in the book where individuals take part in the death of another person, but are determined to be innocent of wrongdoing. These cases include the case of Daphne Mellon, the doctor and nurse in Chapter 10, and the Sutton Place banker, Robert. Choose one of these cases, and discuss the following:

1.) What was the cause of death for the victim?

2.) What were the circumstances surrounding their death?

3.) Why was no one convicted of their murder?

4.) Do you think that the person(s) involved in the victim's death should have been brought to trial? Why or why not? What is the difference between your chosen case, and the case of Cathy Smith, who served time for giving John Belushi his last drug injection? Why was she brought to justice, but the people in your chosen case were not? What does this say about the current system?

Be sure to go into specific detail about why these deaths were considered accidents, even though someone else was present, or contributed to the death.

(see the answer keys)

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