Abstract
There is a growing movement in the forensic sciences to base our opinions on a foundation of evidence based science rather than anecdotes, the idiosyncrasies of our mentors, and fervent pontification. The time is rapidly approaching when an expert in forensic pathology will no longer be able to render opinions prefaced by “Most forensic pathologists think…” or “It is widely accepted in the field that …” without producing corroborative data. This internet based study was designed to determine what board certified forensic pathologists really hold to be true on a select list of controversial topics. Chi-square analysis was then conducted to assess the validity of the responses and their applicability to the forensic pathologist population in general. The results suggest that a majority of forensic pathologists opine that death can be caused by deployment of an electronic control device (ECD) even in the absence of drug toxicity (p=0.001); that pressure on the back of a person restrained in a prone position can be lethal (p=0.0); and that it is possible to inflict lethal head injuries on a child by shaking alone (p=0.0035). Elaborating upon the basis for these beliefs was not the goal of this study. These data suggest that expert witnesses should rely on the scientific evidence available when testifying rather than attributing erroneous opinions to their peers based solely on their individual biases.
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