ABSTRACT
A medicolegal autopsy, an examination of a body after death, is always required in homicide cases. In this chapter, author will look at the purpose of the autopsy and describe the examination. An investigator fully apprised of all developments of the case should be present later at the autopsy. In addition, sometimes certain changes take place in the body during transportation and storage. These changes may be misinterpreted if someone who was present at the scene and observed the body in its original condition is not present at the autopsy to point out these changes. The purpose of the medicolegal autopsy is to establish the cause of death and make a medical determination of all the other factors that may be involved in the death. The autopsy provides the forensic pathologist with an opportunity to examine the body externally and internally to determine what wounds and injuries were sustained and to determine the cause of death.
