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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. What causes the skin and blood of a victim to turn cherry-pink?

2. What does Baden blame for the increase in mercury scare dsuring his time as ME?

3. What does Baden note is the desire of the DAs office in terms of the ME?

4. What does Baden prove is the material around Dr. Martin Luther King's wound?

5. What drug does Baden note is invisible on the autopsy table?

Short Essay Questions

1. Describe why Baden believes the dead woman at the fund raiser and the dead baby in the impoverished apartment represent the inequalities of life.

2. Describe the People vs. Levine case. What was the case, and why did Baden fail to do as he was asked by the DA?

3. Explain how the body of the mafioso was identified.

4. Explain why Baden chose forensic medicine as his profession.

5. Explain how Baden discovered the age, time of death, and identity of Katherine Howard.

6. Explain why Baden believes coroners are often in trouble as a result of their positions.

7. In the end of Chapter One, the report given to the FBI suggests two shooters. Explain the event that prompted the committee to suggest this.

8. What are the ways mentioned in Chapter Six to identify a body?

9. Explain why Baden believes people go into particular medical professions.

10. What does Baden note in Chapter One is the price of fame when a celebrity dies, and why?

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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