ndependent Autopsy Shows No Sign of Struggle in Michael Brown's Shooting
Medical Examiner Hired by Teen's Family Finds at Least 6 Bullet Wounds, No Sign of Struggle
By
PERVAIZ SHALLWANI
CONNECT
Aug. 18, 2014 1:09 p.m. ET
A diagram shows preliminary results of an independent autopsy done on Michael Brown, which found evidence that he was shot at least six times. Associated Press
FERGUSON, Mo.—A former New York City medical examiner found "no evidence of a struggle" between Michael Brown and the police officer who shot him at least six times on Aug. 9—an encounter that has sparked more than a week of unrest in this St. Louis suburb.
Dr. Michael Baden and an assistant, Dr. Shawn Purcell, conducted the autopsy of Mr. Brown at the request of the teen's family. They spent about three hours going over the 18-year-old's wounds at a local funeral home, where the body was delivered after it was released by the St. Louis Medical Examiner.
The autopsy comes a week after the initial autopsy by the St. Louis County Medical Examiner. The county medical examiner's office confirms Mr. Brown was shot in the head and chest multiple times.
Federal officials have said they plan to conduct their own autopsy at the request of the family.
Based on his preliminary analysis, Mr. Baden said the body lacked bruising or signs of blows that would have indicated a struggle. Police have said that Michael Brown pushed Officer Darren Wilson into his patrol car, where the two struggled over the officer's gun. The officer then shot Mr. Brown multiple times, before he died about 35 feet away from the car, police said.
A witness and a lawyer for the Brown family have challenged that account and said that Mr. Brown was raising his hands to surrender when the fatal shots were fired.
Mr. Baden said he is looking to review the medical report for the officer to determine if it shows any evidence on his body of a struggle.
Attorney Benjamin Crump said the family didn't want to rely on the autopsy of the local coroner.
"The attorneys here, we know too well, if you don't have your own autopsy, and you have to depend completely on the police department's autopsy, that's not a good thing," Mr. Crump said.
The report is preliminary, and Dr. Baden and his team are looking to review the initial autopsy, including toxicology reports and the clothing Mr. Brown was wearing.
"What does this preliminary autopsy tell us, it verifies that the witness accounts were true," Mr. Crump said.
Attorneys for Mr. Brown's family said the preliminary autopsy report showed evidence that the teenager was trying to surrender and had his hands raised when he was shot.
"Those two things alone are ample evidence for this officer to be arrested," attorney Daryl Parks said.
Mr. Parks focused on the two shots that struck Mr. Baden in the head, which he said showed the "direction of the bullets was from the back to front."
Mr. Wilson couldn't be reached for comment.
Dr. Purcell, who aided Dr. Baden, said a wound that hit the forehead right about the right eyebrow, and moved downward exiting near the jawline.
He said a wound on the arm was consistent with him walking away and then turning around, but also could have occurred while he was putting his hands up.
Dr. Purcell said he and Dr. Baden needed to look at other aspects of the investigation.
Dr. Baden said toxicology needs to be taken from the body by a medical examiner during the first autopsy and it could be weeks or months before a final report is available.
Dr. Baden said, based on his experience, he expects his autopsy and the one done by local coroner will be "similar."
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