Stephen Cina, MD, interviewed for Worchester MA shooting death

Dec. 3, 2011 - PRLog -- Forensic Pathologist, Stephen Cina MD, explains how a gunshot wound can be missed by on scene law enforcement and first responders.  This underscores the importance of a thorough medicolegal death investigation and forensic autopsy.

Dr. Cina is a board certified Forensic Pathologist consultant (www.AutopsyReview.org with Julie S. Cina, MBA) and current President of the Florida Association of Medical Examiners, was interviewed by the Worcester Telegraph and Gazette concerning the fatal shooting of Javier Santiago.  They had initially reported that he suffered a pre-existing medical condition, and after autopsy changed their findings.

Worcester Telegraph and Gazette:  "Dr. Steve Cina, a certified forensic pathologist in South Florida, said he wouldn't say it's commonplace that gunshot wounds would be missed by emergency responders, but that it does happen.

“At autopsies we do detect injuries that aren't picked up right away,” said Dr. Cina, the current president of the Florida Association of Medical Examiners and chairman of the Forensic Pathology Committee of the College of American Pathologists.
Autopsies are conducted in controlled, well-lighted situations, where all clothing is removed from the body, he said.

“I have seen cases where it came in as one or two gunshot wounds, and there were three or four,” Dr. Cina said.

And he said it's not unusual to suffer a gunshot wound that produces little or no bleeding but still causes severe injuries, particularly if the victim is a larger person and if the weapon is a smaller-caliber gun. He said he has been to crime scenes where a victim staggered 50 feet away without leaving a blood trail.

“Your skin is elastic,” Dr. Cina said. -- end story quote.

Dr. Cina is also the consulting Forensic Pathologist for Associates in Forensic Investigations, LLC (www.Forensic-Investigators.com), operated by Dean A. Beers, CLI, CCDI and Karen S. Beers, BSW, CCDI, a Colorado based private agency specializing in expert medicolegal death consultations and investigations nationally.

Medicolegal / Death Investigation can provide a contextual view of the empirical evidence in both death and non-death cases.

# # #

Since 1987 we have provided legal investigations supporting discerning attorneys and law firms in the areas of civil personal injury, negligence and death, and criminal defense. We are trained and experienced certified medicolegal death investigators.