LEGAL MEDICINE (2011)

Antonio Rebosa, Ll.B, M.D

Branch of medicine which deals with

the
application
of
medical
knowledge to the purpose of law and
in the administration of justice.
The application of basic and clinical,
medical and paramedical sciences to
elucidate legal matters.

TYPES and NATURES of INJURY

1. Lacerated wound / tear (putok)
open wound caued by a blunt object
or instrument.
These wounds are torn, rather than
cut. They have ragged, irregular
edges and masses of torn tissue
underneath. These wounds are
usually made by blunt, rather than
sharp objects.
Eg: Fist blow in the face, bump of
the car, bamboo, lead pipe.
2. Punctured wound (tusok) caused
by a sharp pointed instrument or
object.
Punctures are caused by objects that
penetrate into the tissues while
leaving a small surface opening.
Wounds made by nails, needles,
wire, and bullets are usually
punctures. As a rule small puncture
wounds do not bleed freely.
Eg.: Syringe, needle, pen, ice pick,
nail (.5cm.)
3. Incised wound (hiwa/ cut/ slash)
caused by a sharp edged instrument.
Incisions, commonly called CUTS
are wounds caused by sharp cutting
instruments such as knives, razors,
and broken glass. Incisions tend to
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FEU Institute of Law

Eg.: Knife, blade, scalpel.

4. Stab wound (saksak) caused by an
instrument sharp point with a sharp
edge. A small surgical incision
caused by a thrust with a sharp
instrument. (single/ double bladed).
5. Hacking wound (taga) [bolo/axe]
large incise wounds.
6. Contusion (pasa) tapture of blood
vessels due to forceful contact due to
a blunt object or instrument. Another
name for a bruise.
A bruise or contusion is caused when
blood vessels are damaged or broken
as the result of a blow to the skin. (be
it bumping against something or
hitting yourself with a hammer.)
7. Hematoma (bukol) blood cyst or
tumor extravassation of blood that
newly formed cavity, also cause by a
blunt object.
An abnormal localized collection of
blood in which the blood is usually
clotted or partially clotted and is
usually situated within an organ or
soft tissue space, such as within a
muscle. A hematoma is caused by a
break in the wall of a blood vessel.
8. Abrasion (gasgas) contact with a
rough surface / friction or scratching.
Made when the skin is rubbed or
scraped off. Rope burns, flood burns,
and skinned knees or elbows are
common examples of abrasions.

bleed freely because the blood

vessels are cut cleanly and without
ragged edges.

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LEGAL MEDICINE

LEGAL MEDICINE (2011)

Antonio Rebosa, Ll.B, M.D

This kind of wound can become

infected quite easily because dirt and
germs are usually embedded in the
tissues.
Types of Abrasions
1. Linear
2. Multi-linear
3. Confluent (tapyas)
Special Types of Wounds
1. Patterned wound
2. Defense wound
- A wound sustained when a
victim places a hand, arm or
other body part to prevent or
minimize a blow or slashing by a
sharp weapon.
3. Self-inflicted wound
4. Suicidal wound

Gun Shot Wounds A person with a

gunshot wound has an injury from a bullet
that was fired from a gun.

2. External from the time it leaves the

barrel of the gun
3. Terminal effect of the bullet on an
object when hit
4. Medical when a bullet hits human
body.
Firearm identification used to determine
whether the gun that is subject of the
investigation has the same gun used or fired.
Parts of Ammunition (bala)
1. Shell / cartridge
2. Gun powder inside the shell
3. Primer made up of lead, antimony,
barium
4. Projectile (tingga)
Products of Combustion
1.
2.
3.
4.

Smudging smoke or soop

Singeing (kulot pag natamaan)
Tatooing, peppering, stippling
Contusion or collar
-would help determine the relative
position between the assailant or the
victim and or the trajectory of the
bullet.

Classification of Firearms

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

Barrel
Handle
Trigger
Percussion cap
Firing Pin
Muzzle

Kinds of Ballistics
1. Internal / Interior from the time
you pull the trigger
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FEU Institute of Law

Point of Exit
Usually bigger
and irregular or
stellate in shape.

Everted,
and
tissued
are
protruding.
Depending upon Always negative.
a distance, may
be positive for
the products of
combustion and
paraffim.
Have a contusion Absent
or abrasion collar

Major parts of Firearm

Point of Entry
Smaller and oval
in shape unless it
is a close contact
fire.
The edges are
inverted

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1. Short (revolver, pistol)

2. Long (rifle, AK47, M16, Machine
Gun etc.)

LEGAL MEDICINE (2011)

Antonio Rebosa, Ll.B, M.D

Perrafim test used to determine whether

the subject has recently fired a gun or not.
-not used to determine whether the subject is
the killer or shooter.
-the value of the test is only presumptive,
not conclusive, because of false positive and
false negative results.
FALSE POSITIVE
1. Subject recently fired a gun
-totally not related to the incident in
question
2. Subject is a smoker
3. Subject is a farmer who deals with
fertilizer.
FALSE NEGATIVE
1. Subject is a professional
2. Incessant rushing with water and
soap (suka)
3. Paraffim test was done beyond 3
days from the time of incident.

A subpoena ad testificandum is a court

summons to appear and give oral testimony
for use at a hearing or trial.
CONTEMPT OF COURT
-any willfull disobedience to or disregard of
a court order or any misconduct in the
presence of a court action that interferes
with a judges ability to administer justice or
that insults the dignity of the court.
Punishable by fine or imprisonment or both.
2 kinds:

A person who by perceiving and

made known his perception to
others.
Person who testifies under oath
in a trial with first hand or expert
evidence useful in a lawsuit.
A person who sees an event.

Indirect outside the court room, defied the

order of the court.

VIRGINITY
-

Who cannot be a witness?

-Those who cannot made known his
perception to others
* Children

Virtuous Female

* Senile / Insane
* Those who have
convicted of perjury
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FEU Institute of Law

A condition of a female who has

not experience sexual intercourse
and whose genital organs have
not been alteres by carnal
connection and whose hymen is
still intact.

previously

been

If her body is pure and if she has

never had any sexual intercourse

Subpoena order issued by the court to a

person to appear in court.

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1. Ordinary goes to court and specify

what he has perceived.
2. Expert goes to court to enlighten
the court to render his expert opinion
on matters.
- He has authority on that
particular field.

Direct inside the court room or anywhere

in the court room

WITNESS
-

Two Types of Witnesses:

LEGAL MEDICINE (2011)

Antonio Rebosa, Ll.B, M.D

1. MORAL the state of not knowing

the nature of sexual life and not
having experienced sexual relation.
- Applies to children below the age
of puberty and whose sex organs
and secondary sex characters are
not yet developed.
2. PHYSICAL condition whereby a
woman is conscious of the nature of
the sexual life but has not
experienced sexual intercourse.
The term applies to women who
have reached sexual maturity but
have not experienced sexual
intercourse.
Distinction between True and False Physical
Virginity.
a) True Physical Virginity a condition
wherein hymen is intact with edges
distinct and regular and the opening
small to barely admit the tip of the
smallest finger of the examiners even
if the thighs are separated.
b) False Physical Virginity a
condition wherein the hymen is
unruptured but the orifice is wide
and elastic to admit two or more
fingers of the examiner with a lesser
degree of resistance.
-the hymen may be laxed and
distensible and may have previous
sexual relation. In this particular
instance the physician may not be
able to make a convincing
conclusion that the subject is virgin.

3. DEMI-VIRGIN
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FEU Institute of Law

4. VIRGO INTACTA
- literally the term refers to a truly
virgin woman; that there are structural
changes in her organ to infer previous sexual
intercourse and that she is a virtuous
woman.
- inasmuch as there are no conclusive
evidence to prove the existence of such
condition, liberal authorities extend the
connotation of the term to include women
who have had previous sexual act or even
habitually but had not given birth.

Defloration is the laceration or rupture of

the hymen as a result of sexual intercourse.
-

All other lacerations of the

hymen which are not caused by
sexual act are not considered as
defloration.

Other causes of Hymenal Laceration:

1. Passage of clotted blood during
menstruation
2. Ulceration due to disease like
diphtheria
3. Jumping or Running
4. Falling on hard sharp object
5. Medical instrumentation

Kinds of Virginity:

-this term refers to a condition who

permits any form of sexual liberties
as long as they abstain from
rupturing the hymen by sexual act.
- the woman may be embraced,
kissed, may allow her breasts to be
fondled, her private organ to be held
and other lascivious acts.
- the woman allows sexual
intercourse but only inter-femora
or even inter-labia but not to the
extent of rupturing the hymen.
- hymen is still intact

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with another though her mind

and heart is impure.

LEGAL MEDICINE (2011)

Antonio Rebosa, Ll.B, M.D

a) Incomplete Laceration
- Rupture or laceration of the
hymen is considered incomplete
when it does not involve the
whole width or height of hymen.
Superficial the laceration does not
go beyond one-half of the whole
width of the hymen
Deep the laceration involves more
than one-half of the width of the
hymen but not reaching the base.

b) Complete Laceration
- The hymenal laceration involves
the whole width but not beyond
the base of the hymen
c) Compound or Complicated
- The laceration involves the
hymen and also the surrounding
tissues.
- It may involve the hymen also
the surrounding tissues.
- It may involve the perineum,
vaginal canal, urethra or rectum.
DEATH
-

Complete cessation of all cardiopulmonary (heart-lungs) and/or

cessation of brain activity.

3 Kinds of Death
1. Somatic Death / Clinical Death
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FEU Institute of Law

MUSCULAR CHANGES in the BODY

following DEATH
Importance: help us determine the
approximate time of death.
1. Stage of Primary Flaccidity:
-AKA post-mortem irritability.
-The muscles are relaxed and
capable of contracting when
stimulated.
-Died less than six (6) hours.
2. Stage of Post Mortem Rigidity:
-AKA Rigor Mortis
-The whole body becomes rigid due
to the contraction of the muscles.
- Six (6) twenty four(24) hours
3. Stage of Secondary Flaccidity /
Onset of Decomposition:
-AKA commencement of
putrefaction
-Relaxed and soft but with foul odor
- 24-36 hours ++
Forensic Entomology involves the insects
that are eating up the body.

Degree of Laceration:

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6. Self-scratching or irritation
7. Masturbation
8. Insertion of foreign bodies
9. Previous operation
10. Horseback riding
11. Aerobics / biking
12. Throma to the genitalia

o Dead for less than 3 hours.

o Dead, but cells are still alive
2. Molecular /Cellular Death
o Dead for 3-6 hours
o Death also of the cells
3. Apparent Death or State of
Suspended Animation
o Transient loss of
consciousness or
o Temporary cessation of the
vital functions of the body
- It is important to determine the
condition of suspended animation to
prevent premature burial.

LEGAL MEDICINE (2011)

Antonio Rebosa, Ll.B, M.D

POST MORTEM LIVIDITY

-it occurs in most extensive areas of the
most dependent portions of the body.

autopsy
-Only those
authorized by law
may perform this
kind of autopsy

TOTAL or
PARTIAL autopsy.
-by the pathologist
of the hospital

Importance: to determine the position of the

body when the person died.
2 KINDS:
1. HYPOSTATIC LIVIDITY blood still
fluid on form.
2. DIFFUSION LIVIDITY blood has
already coagulated, blood already
clotted.

PERSONS ALLOWED BY LAW TO

PERFORM OFFICIAL AUTOPSY:
-

POST MORTEM EXAMINATION

-

Intermal examination of the dead.

Medico legal of PNP

Medico legal of NBI
Municipal/ Health Officers who are
considered ex-officio medical
officers
Those authorized by an ordinance or
thru request from chief of police,
mayor, prosecutor.

Importance: to determine the cause of death.

AUTOPSY:
-

Both the internal and external

examination of the dead.

NEGATIVE AUTOPSY after the autopsy,

cause of death is still unknown.
NEGLIGENT AUTOPSY cause of death
is still unknown because of so many errors
committed during the autopsy.

NON-OFFICIAL / NON
MEDICO LEGAL

-medico legal or
mandatory autopsy.
-done on those who
died on non-natural
causes
-NO NEED for
consent of the next
of kin.
-always a TOTAL

-hospital based or
elective autopsy
-done to those who
died from natural
causes
-consent from next
of kin is needed,
they will decide
whether it will be a

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FEU Institute of Law

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OFFICIAL

An autopsy may be official and non official,

the differences are as follows: