ABSTRACT
I just wanted to be part of it. I didn’t want it to be something done by strangers…the last thing that would happen to Patricia, where, in a sense, there was some sort of decision to be made. There were certain possibilities, certain choices to be made, and I suppose I just wanted to have something to do with it. I just wanted to say my bit. (Francesca)
Introduction
In England and Wales, all unnatural deaths are subject to legal investigation, including suspected suicides, and enquiries usually begin immediately after the body has been discovered. The police will take statements from relevant people such as members of the dead person’s immediate family, the person or persons who discovered the body, and any other witnesses; additional evidence will include farewell notes or letters, and the pathologist’s postmortem report. The coroner’s officer (see below), who acts as the coroner’s agent, is responsible for ensuring that the necessary evidence is available to the coroner before the main inquest takes place.
