Unnatural Death: Confessions of a Medical Examiner [Mass Market Paperback]

Michael M. Baden (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 28, 1990

* JFK's autopsy failed to disclose crucial evidence.
* The deaths of John Belushi and Elvis Presley were far more complex than anyone has let on.
* Decisive medical findings in the von Bulow affair were consistently overlooked.
These are but three of the shocking revelations in Dr. Michael Baden's first-person, no-holds-barred account of his distinguished career in forensic pathology. In determining the causes of tens of thousands of deaths, from those of presidents and rock stars to victims of serial killings, exotic sex rituals, mass disasters, child abuse and drug abuse, Baden has come to the unavoidable conclusion that the search for scientific truth is often sullied by the pressures of expediency. He produces dramatic evidence to demonstrate that political intrigue, influence peddling, and professional incompetence have created a national crisis in forensic medicine.
"A fascinating look into the mechanics of forensics and a disconcerting lesson in the politics of death." -- The New York Times Book Review

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com Review

Forensic pathologist Michael Baden was a medical examiner in New York City for more than 25 years. Now he works for the New York State Police and teaches forensic medicine. This engrossing book covers: (1) several famous cases, including Baden's personal re-examination of the autopsy findings for Martin Luther King and John F. Kennedy; (2) unusual cases Baden had as medical examiner for NYC, such as an autopsy on a dining room table at the Plaza Hotel; (3) how medical examiners decide on means of death, with a section on poisons; (4) the history of coroners and medical examiners since 12th century England; (5) disturbing politics involved in the office of the Chief Medical Examiner of NYC; (6) identification of the dead; (7) time of death; (8) multiple-murder cases; (9) an almost perfect murder; (10) close calls, including near deaths during sex; (11) cases of mistaken diagnosis; and (12) autopsy findings that shed light on what happened in the Attica uprising.

From Publishers Weekly

The function of medical examiners is to perform pk autopsies and determine causes of death; examiners must be expert in forensic pathology. Baden here "delivers a sobering indictment of a system in which, he claims, fewer than a thousand physicians nationwide are qualified to conduct this work," maintained PW.
Copyright 1990 Reed Business Information, Inc.

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Product Details

• Mass Market Paperback: 240 pages
• Publisher: Ballantine Books (March 28, 1990)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0804105995
• ISBN-13: 978-0804105996
• Product Dimensions: 4.2 x 0.7 x 6.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (44 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #145,551 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)
  • #3 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Nonfiction > Social Sciences > Sociology > Urban
  • #4 in Books > 4-for-3 Books > Biographies & Memoirs > Professionals & Academics > Medical

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

28 of 29 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars "A place where death delights to help the living", April 15, 2003

By 

E. A. Lovitt "starmoth" (Gladwin, MI USA) - See all my reviews
(HALL OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 100 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Unnatural Death: Confessions of a Medical Examiner (Mass Market Paperback)

Dr. Baden was the chief medical examiner of New York City from 1960 to 1985, and "Unnatural Death" is a fascinating look at some of the cases he investigated. Bronx-born and Brooklyn-bred, Dr. Baden doesn't shy away from a fight whether it was with the Mayor of New York City who fired him (Dr. Baden eventually sued Mayor Koch for wrongful dismissal and won his case) or the Warren Commission, which was charged with the investigation of President Kennedy's assassination.

Baden refers to himself as "a witness to the dead," and treats the bodies on his autopsy table with what can only be described as reverence. Forensic Pathology is both a fascinating profession and a sacred calling for him. During his forty-year career he has conducted more than 20,000 autopsies and has served as an expert witness on homicide cases that include Nicole Brown Simpson, the last alleged victim of Albert DeSalvo, "Sunny" von Bulow (included in this book), John Belushi (also in this book), and JonBenet Ramsey.

Also there are those wonderful political brawls, the foremost of which in "Unnatural Death" is Dr. Baden's tussle with various government officials involved in the investigation of the deaths during the Attica prison riot. In a way, I wish there was less politics and more science in this autobiography, but Dr. Baden correctly points out that reforming the 'politics of death' and raising the status of MEs is one of his most important goals.

This book also highlights cases and anecdotes where the emphasis is on detection and forensic science rather than politics. One of the most gruesome involved a New York City ME who kept a tray of feet that had been cut off at the ankles. He called it the 'Centipede' and used his display to convince the Federal Aviation Agency that airplane seats needed to be redesigned. People's feet were being cut off during airplane crashes by the bar under their seat that was supposed to keep suitcases from sliding backwards.

The seats were redesigned, thanks in part to the 'Centipede.'

One of the saddest, most inexplicable (in psychological terms, at least) cases in "Unnatural Death" is Dr. Baden's investigation of the deaths of Mary Beth and Joseph Tinning's nine children in upstate New York. One aspect of this case that is not widely known is Mary Beth's attempted poisoning of her husband (she was having an affair with a minister at the time). According to Dr. Baden, Joseph Tinning "did not feel that his marriage had been destroyed by this attempt to annihilate him." Nor, evidently by the deaths of his nine children.

Readers will definitely gain an appreciation of the value of forensic pathology from this book, which I believe was Dr. Baden's ultimate goal in writing it.

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great read, June 21, 2002

By 

Krista-Lea (New York, United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Unnatural Death: Confessions of a Medical Examiner (Mass Market Paperback)

If you are an avid reader of true crime, this is a hard to put down book. And if the HBO special "autopsy" held you on the edge of your seat, this is just a continuation. It has everything in here, from celebrity autopsies, to everyday people. It is not morbid and creepy, although some aspects may make the weak queasy, its realism and therefore compelling. It amazes as to how a medical examiner can solve a crime and pin point time and cause of death. Just a interest-keeper of a read, not only for anyone in the medical field, or forensics, but simply everyone.

19 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent book!!!, November 7, 1998

By A Customer

This review is from: Unnatural Death: Confessions of a Medical Examiner (Mass Market Paperback)

A great book!! One of my all time favorites that easily explains complex situations and extremely compilcated medical jargon into a everyday conversation!! Great stories!! Mr Baden has a gift for allowing the reader to understand the trumatic events and terrible crimes we human- beings inflict on one another! Understanding the forensics science involved can surely overwhelm the common individual but not in this book as we learn from Mr. Baden! I would not hesitate to both endorse and encourage any one to read this book for themselves and not walk away disappointed! In my 9 years in L.A.County Cornoner's Office as a volunteer Forensic tech, I am more than happy to ask that Mr. Baden write at least another book to follow up this masterpiece!!