The Failure of the Review of the Possible Wrongful Convictions Caused by Michael Heath

Abstract

Forensic pathology is, undoubtedly, a very important science, but one that is surrounded by misunderstanding of its limitations and significance. It cannot, for example, tell you precisely when a murder took place. There are far too many variables to enable anything more than a range of times within which death occurred. There are, however, several indicators that should be established and not just the obvious ones such as body weight, body temperature, ambient temperature and the progress of rigor mortis. Analysis of stomach contents and of the rate of dissipation of alcohol content in the body can all assist in establishing a likely range for when death occurred. However, despite ongoing research, no science can give a precise time of death — yet.

The references to expert reports, transcripts of the Home Office Tribunal into Michael Heath, personal correspondences relating to the case of Neil Sayers, and so on, that are cited in this chapter, which will not appear in the list of references at the end of the book, were obtained by the author by virtue of his role in working on the cases mentioned.