ABSTRACT
Although highly publicized court trials have made the public more aware of some of the limitations, inconsistencies, and weaknesses in the death investigation system, many people still lack a basic understanding of how death investigation works. Television shows such as
Quincy
,
Crossing Jordan
,
CSI
, and others have also created a false perception on the part of the public regarding the specific roles played by the forensic pathologists, medical examiner, or coroner. People tend to believe that once the medical examiners or coroners get the body, they do the bulk of the investigation and are involved in many aspects of solving the case. However in reality, work is often split up among many people who do small portions of the investigation, which taken together create the sum total of the investigation.
