Coroner

Dr. Noguchi was Chief Medical Examiner/Coroner of the county of Los Angeles, which includes Hollywood. His job is to establish the "manner, cause and circumstance" of death and to report the findings to the public. Every death is a mystery until the cause is known. A coroner is specifically trained to solve that mystery. He collects evidence, interviews witnesses, oversees the autopsy and laboratory reports on the body. In any unusual death, the first duty of an ME is to suspect murder, until proven otherwise.At age 13 Dr. Noguchi witnessed an incident with his father's patient that set him on the road to forensic medicine. He later learned medicine by day and law by night. After graduation he left for America, the world leader in technology. He aimed to practice forensic medicine because of his love for scientific detective work.Chapter 4 tells of the autopsy of Robert F. Kennedy. One shot entered underneath the right armpit and exited the right front shoulder. Another was under the armpit and traversed sideways to the spinal column. The fatal bullet entered the skull an inch behind his right ear. The thoroughness of the tests gave credence to a conspiracy theory: Sirhan had NOT fired the fatal bullet (p.101)! The murderer fired from the back into RFK's head; the gun was 3 inches from the head, 1 inch from the right ear. Sirhan was firing from the front (p.103). His gun contained eight bullets, twelve bullet tracks were found at the scene. They could not prove the fatal bullet was fired from Sirhan's gun.Chapter 5 tells of his fights in the jungle of bureaucratic politics and personalities. "Noguchi was a target because of plain, old-fashioned prejudices" (p.113). The secretary who testified against him admitted her information came from newspapers and the prosecutor! Dr. Noguchi's private comments were the "graveyard humor" common to pathologists. The chief prosecution witness who tried to fire him as "emotionally disturbed" admitted he offered him a post a county hospital with live patients! Dr. Noguchi's faults were being an extrovert, having a sense of humor, and excessive ambition in expanding his department.Chapter 11 "Forensic Science at Work" summarizes many interesting and entertaining stories from his career. He says Proposition 13 made it almost impossible to obtain increased funding for an increased work load.Dr. Noguchi reveals the tragic facts of Natalie Wood's drowning. You can read about Marilyn Monroe, Sharon Tate, Janis Joplin, William Holden, and John Belushi. He tells of "the terrible danger of alcohol ... the most popular and most deadly drug ever conceived"; one out of every four deaths is alcohol related (p.227).Chapter 14 tells of his demotion and removal as Coroner. He had just been installed as president of the National Association of Medical Examiners in Nov 1982. The investigator had ruled that Dr. Noguchi had been "unjustifiably demoted", but the Civil Service Commission disregarded this ruling. He was the victim of

As someone who enjoys reading about forensic science, I had never read a book (nonfiction) or account by a coroner. Unfortunately, I live in Pittsburgh where we have the infamous Cyril Wecht to have to listen to or read about constantly in our newspapers and on television. He is not the best representative of this group of scientists, though at one point he must have been a friend to Noguchi. Noguchi does a fairly good job of explaining the work and some of the politics involved in running a forensic lab for any large city. He could have written in much more detail then he did for some of the stories, filled in the endings of the stories like with Patty Hearst, and talked more about the work done with other groups such as the FBI. I think he tries to be fair about giving credit where credit is due, and I also feel like he wrote this book in answer to all of his many critics who lied about his statements and abilities due to prejudice. Being a native Californian and also a deaf person, I am fully aware of the prejudices of that state and can sympathize with Dr. Noguchi. I plan on reading his second book to see if his writing and coverage improves. Otherwise, for those who aren't deeply involved or interested in this area of science, this is a good introductory book. Karen Sadler, Science Education, University of Pittsburgh

Dr. Noguchi's book gives an avergage reader or a student interested in forensic pathology or other areas of criminal justice an in depth look at some of the most famous deaths of this century.

Joe DiMona and Dr. Noguchi created an absolute modern classic in this fascinating study of Noguchi's career as "Coroner to the stars". This book is a companion piece to "Day Of the Locust" and "LA Confidential". Dr. Nouguchi seeks clarity in the seamy deaths of Hollywood icons, begining with Marilyn Monroe and ending with John Belushi. Joe DiMona, a best-selling novelist is the perfect accomplice with a tart style that make the most of these sad and strange endings to tinseltowns' greatest stars. In this book DiMona fleshes out Natalie Wood, William Holden and Janis Joplin. In turn their deaths become something more than the stuff of legend; but something real and painful. He is a master of suspense, pacing and timing, a vastly underappreciated author. From a technical view point, "Coroner" explains in great details the mechanics of an autopsy. But its' real brillance lies in its' evocation of what it is like to "Live and Die in LA". "Coroner" pre dates tabloid TV, and it never stoops or condescends in a similar manner. It more than holds its' own with "Hollywood Babylon", but is never pithy or judgemental about its' characters. Highly entertaining and informative on many different levels.