Murder of a Sultan Trivia Quiz

Answer: Cheiloscopy

Cheiloscopy involves the identification of a person using lip prints. It is a technique used in forensic science. Actual identification of a person using lip prints would be very difficult unless there is clear representation of the finer details of the lip.

Otherwise, lip prints can reveal circumstantial evidence like if some significant chemical substance like cosmetics or food was on the lips. It can also help in revealing certain events surrounding the crime under investigation, like the movement or actions of the accused. Sometimes lip prints may be associated with saliva aiding in identification via DNA studies.

Answer: Strychnine

Strychnine is an alkaloid derived from the seeds of the tree Strychnos nux-vomica. It is a highly toxic poison and can be used as an effective killer in homicides. Some of the symptoms of strychnine intake are convulsions, vomiting, loss of consciousness and asphyxia. It is a neurotoxin. Brucine is another poisonous compound that can be derived from the bark of this tree.

Answer: Livor mortis

Livor mortis is the discoloration of the dependent parts of the body after death, due to the pooling of blood into them. These areas get a reddish purple tinge. It is a sign of death; it starts a few minutes after death and is seen very distinctly at around 6-12 hours.

It is a method of estimation of time of death. It is also called post-mortem lividity, post-mortem staining and hypostasis. Alongside rigor mortis and algor mortis, among a few, it is one of the changes that occur after death.

Answer: Distance between the lands and grooves in the barrel of the gun

The caliber of a gun is usually defined as the diameter of the bullet such as to allow it to pass through the barrel. It also implies to the diameter of the barrel of the gun.

In rifled firearms, there are lands and grooves in the barrel, which are to the firearm as fingerprints are to man. These are inclinations and depression in the barrel than run throughout the length of the barrel. The distance between diametrically opposite land and groove is also called the caliber of a rifled firearm.

Another interesting fact is that impressions of the specifics of the land and grooves like number, positions, angle, etc., are made on the bullets and can be used to identify the make of the gun. This is called fingerprinting of a bullet.

Answer: Garroting

Garroting is the process of manual strangulation of a person using a material or ligature like a rope, cable ties or a metal wire. The mechanism of death in strangulation is asphyxia brought about by compression and damage to the inner structures of the neck which includes the trachea.

Putrefaction is a change after death in which decomposition of the body sets in. Lynching is a type of illicit execution in which a crowd hangs a person publicly and is sometimes done by burning the person at the stake. Stoning is when a crowd kills a person by throwing stones at him.

Answer: Contusion and fracture of head

A contusion is a type of mechanical injury which is usually caused by a blunt weapon like a baseball bat in this case. Due to trauma, underlying blood vessels allow blood to seep and extravasate, causing a change in color of skin. Bruises can also be caused by some diseases. Area, age, causative force, etc. affect the appearance of the bruise. Spontaneous healing occurs unless the damage is extensive, which can lead to infections.

A fracture is damage or separation in a bone caused by some accident or trauma. Blunt weapons can cause fractures. It can occur spontaneously in bone disorders like osteoporosis and bone cancer.

Other types of mechanical injuries are abrasions and lacerations.

Answer: Holographic will

A holographic will is a type of will which is written by and signed by the person who is bequeathing his/her property, called the testator. It is admissible in court as long as it can be evidenced that it was written by the testator alone. It is usually used in emergency situations like on the occasion of a life threatening illness or imminent death. Ideally, witnesses must be present at the writing of this kind of will. Also, the testator should not have written the will under duress and should have been of sound mind.

Answer: Speedball

Speedball is the usage of both cocaine and heroin, in the same syringe intravenously. It is highly dangerous, even so more than the use of either of the drugs individually. An overdose can have fatal effects. The effects of both drugs combine to produce an effect that precipitates drowsiness, palpitations, anxiety and euphoria.

Answer: A pathological autopsy is done to determine the medical reasons for the death, while forensic autopsy is done to find the manner of death from a legal point of view

A pathological autopsy is done in a case where the pathology behind the death of a patient was not understood or was unclear before he/she died. It is mainly for medical and diagnostic purposes, though it can also be done for educational purposes. It is also called a clinical autopsy.

A forensic autopsy is done to identify the manner of death, i.e., homicidal, suicidal or accidental. The results have legal implications and findings can be used as evidence in court if a trial is in order. It is also called a medico-legal autopsy.

Answer: First and second men - homicidal; Sultan - accidental

It is most probable that the death of both the first two unidentified men was homicidal as they died by ligature strangulation and blunt force injury by a baseball bat, which cannot be self-inflicted or accidental. That rules out suicidal manner of death for both these men and since the presence of a fourth person is determined, a homicidal manner of death for both men is most probable.

The Sultan died of an overdose of drugs which can be homicidal or accidental. Deaths due to overdose are rarely suicidal. If adulterants like strychnine are identified in his body, it may be ruled as homicidal. But until then an assumption of an accidental death has to be assumed as most probable.