P3 ATLAS HARTLEY -

Q. Doctor can you explain how you determine a cause of death?

A. (1) I look at the body inside and out, (2) take samples from organs and fluids and (3) run tests to see what might have caused the death.

Q. Are those standard methods used in your field?

A. Yes they are standard and accepted in forensic pathology.

Q. Did you apply those methods correctly in this case?

A. Yes I did.

Q. What did you find when you examined Mt. Armstrong’s body?

A. After examining Mr. Armstrong’s body, I found that His organs were healthy but (1) I found irritation in his airway and (2) calcium oxalate crystals in both kidneys.

Q. What do calcium oxalate crystals tell you?

A. The calcium oxalate crystals tell me that (1) oxalic acid entered the body and (2) caused a reaction that only happens during poisoning.

Q. Could anything else have caused this?

A. No

Q. What did your toxicology tests reveal?

A. The toxicological tests revealed that the oxalic acid level in his blood was over three times the normal limit. The concentration in his mouth, trachea, and bronchi was very high.

Q. What does that mean about how he was exposed to the oxalic acid?

A. That means Mr. Armstrong inhaled oxalic acid while he was still alive.

Q. How would inhaling oxalic acid affect someone?

A. It would lower a persons’ calcium levels and cause confusion, weakness, and eventually loss of control of the body.