• There are five manners of death: homicide, suicide, accident, natural, and undetermined.
• In its simplest definition, homicide is the death of an individual caused by another.
• Suicide is the intentional taking of one’s life.
• An accident is an unintentional death either of oneself or another. Accidental deaths are also caused by inanimate objects, animals, and forces of nature.
• Natural deaths are related to disease processes.
• The term undetermined is used when a preponderance of evidence does not point to one specific manner, or there may be multiple manners that are equally valid, or there is not enough information to make a determination.
• If this individual was shot by another, the manner would be homicide. If this individual shot himself or herself, the manner would be suicide. If this individual was handling a gun without the intention to hurt himself or herself and the gun discharged, the manner would be an accident.
Davis GG:
Mind your manners. Part I: History of death certification and manner of death classification. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 1997;18(3):219-223.
DiMaio VJM:
Gunshot Wounds: Practical Aspects of Firearms, Ballistics, and Forensic Techniques. Boca Raton: CRC Press, 1999.
Goodin J, Hanzlick R:
Mind your manners. Part II: General results from the National Association of Medical Examiners Manner of Death Questionnaire, 1995. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 1997;18(3):224-227.
Goodin J, Hanzlick R:
Mind your manners. Part III: Individual scenario results and discussion of the National Association of Medical Examiners Manner of Death Questionnaire, 1995. Am J Forensic Med Pathol 1997;18(3):228-245.
Spitz WU: Injury by gunfire.In Spitz WU (ed):
Spitz and Fisher’s Medicolegal Investigation of Death. Springfield, StateIL: Charles C Thomas, 1993, pp 311-412.
