[ichabod1]

Autopsy is not optional: it’s the law. Under some circumstances, particularly in attended deaths, it may be avoidable but not in a coroners case. Not in a prison death. No way. Because cause of death is fairly often not what you think it is. Murderers try to obscure the true cause of death in many ways. They have to find out exactly what caused it.

[defconw]

Soooooooooooo, does anyone know anyone who works for NYPD?

[DrDude]

I recently saw a post saying the ME could not yet determine the cause of death. I am not sure if that is true or someone’s best guess estimate. If true then there was “no hanging or blockage or airway in any case. The ME would only be waiting for toxicology which may take awhile. Any rookie ME would know already if there was a hanging or blockage of oxygen causing the death.

[Conservative Gato]

Autopsy is not optional: it’s the law. Under some circumstances, particularly in attended deaths, it may be avoidable but not in a coroners case. Not in a prison death. No way. Because cause of death is fairly often not what you think it is. Murderers try to obscure the true cause of death in many ways. They have to find out exactly what caused it.

Thanks for the clarification. I wasn't sure about this myself and wondered if it was plausible based on religious beliefs.

CGato