Autopsy Report of Edward Garner

    PROVISIONAL ( )
FINAL (X)

TEfTHESSEE OEPARTTiEHT OF PUBLIC HEALTH

OFFICE OF THE CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER
858 Madison Avenue 

Memphis, Tennessee 33103

AUTOPSY REPORT

CASE MO A74 —5 59 

couN TY__she l-tiLy—

NAME OF DECEDENT E d w a r d  G a m e r

HOME ADDRESS 9 2 8  T a l l y M e m p h i s ,

RACE N SEX M AGE 1 S

_______Xen.ng.S-S.e e  .
NUMSCP OK STHECT CITr OK TO»H

COUNTr’ MEDICAL EXAf.4INER J .  T .  F r a n c i s C O ^ __Mj:— D. _

ADDRESS M e m p h i s ,  T e n n e s s e e

DISTRICT ATTORNEY GENERAL H o n o r a b l e  H u g h  S t a n t o n ,  J r .

ADDRESS M e m p h i s ,  T e n n e s s e e

ANATOMICAL DIAGNOSIS 1 .  B r a i n  l a c e r a t i o n s

CAUSE OF DEATH G u n s h o t  w o u n d  t o  h e a d

narra ti ve  OF FINDINGS D e a t h  i s  t h e  r e s u l t  o f  a g u n s h o t  v/ound t o  t h e ________

r i g h t  o c c i  p i  t a  1 - p a r i e t a l  a r e a  o f  t h e  s k u l l  r e s u l t i n . a _ . i n .  l a c e r a t i o n s 

o f  b o t h  o c c i  p i  t a l - p a r  i e t a l  a r e a s . ------ ------------- --------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The purpose o f  th is  report is  to provide a c e r t i f ie d  opinion to the County Medical 
Examiner and the D istrict  Attorney General. The facts and findings to support these con­
clusions are fi led  with the office  of the State Medical Examiner.

DATE 5 - 1 9 - 7 5

T E N N E S S E E  d e p a r t m e n t  O r  P U B L I C  H E A L T H  *  1 4 4



T H E  C I T Y  O F  M E M P H I S  H 0 3 P 1 T A L  

A U T O P S Y  P R O T O C O L

Name Edward Garner__________

service . HosDital No. 

Aqe IS RaceNearn

Date of Admission Date and Hour of Death

Date and Hour of Autopsy 1 0 -4 -7 4  1 4 :0 0

Patholoqist D r s .  F r a n c i s c o . B e l l Assistant Dr. S aoala

Checked by j .  m. Franc i sen , M. n.________ Date Completed S -1 9 -7 S

FINAL PATHOLOGICAL DIAGNOSIS

PRIMARY SERIES:

I .  Gunshot wound to  r i g h t  o c c i p i t o - p a r i e t a l  area
A . B ra in  la c e r a t i o n s

1 .  R ig h t  o c c i p i t o - p a r i e t a l  area
2 .  L e f t  o c c i p i t o - p a r i e t a l  area
3 .  F ra c tu re d  l e f t  o c c i p i t o - p a r i e t a l  bone

B. S t a t u s  p o s t -o p e r a t i v e  s u r g i c a l  r e p a i r

SECONDARY SERIES;

1 .  E n d o c a r d ia l  p e t e c h ia e  

LABORATORY FINDINGS:

Blood E t h a n o l :  0 .09%
Blood t y p e :  Group O, Rh p o s i t i v e



3 6 5

P a g e  1

Autopsy

C IT Y  O F MEMPHIS H O S P IT A L S  
A U T O P SY  P R O T O C O L

W Indicofes normal gross 
Exominofion

Wf. ^ 0  lb. Ht'. Lo ̂  in

Good Poor

(T oxture)

Stofe of Nutrition 

Hair (color)

Edema (degree) £)

Scars and Wounds ^

Sl<in L es io n s

Deformities

Polpable m asses

{ ) E y e s  (color)
( 0-T^se 
( - )^ r ;o st5
( )^£Jcfemal Genitalia and anus

Somatype 

Very Poor

(Di stribution) 

IN S P EC T IO N  AND P A L P A T IO N  

Joundice  

Skin color

Special Chort Not Done
12

Cul tures 

Or emi stry

( o y e r  i cordium 

( Pleuro

( S-Rjght Pleura  

( ) Pjrntoneom

Mox. th ickness abdominal panniculus

Adhesions

Other abnormalities

Relations of viscera

( ki T̂ongue 
( ^y^arotids 
( TPo rto l vein 
( )  Lymph nodes 
( - i T h y r o i d  ( w t l  '- .^ O  
( i)^ul monory ortery

,gm.

Light

( V ^ p i l s
( )''̂ rfk)uth

S EC TIO N

■ u

>(

sp. gr.

Thoracic-cordiac ratio

( (C&hOrynx 
( "V^Lm a X i 11 o ry 
{ *-V^prynx 
( ' " T r  o r ot hy ro i  ds  
( ‘■')0"hy mu s 
( ophr ogm

Cyanosis  

Medium Dork 

Special Chart II

( L U c

character



3 6 5

( ) Heart (wt). . gfTi.

( ‘-t^picardium 

( c a r d i u m

Left ventricle diloted.

( ^^^ndocardium

Pago 2 

Autopsy No 

Special Chart 1

Thickened

Thrombi

Right ventricle d i la te d ______

o -------------------- ------- L

th ickness.  

Valve  Measurement

{ ) Tricuspid________

( ) Mitral_____________

/  o th ickness.

' I

( ) Aortic. n

Fi brosi s 

t  K

Vegetation end Size

{ ) Pulmonic.

( •i^Caroaanes

1
Special Chart 2

(L^^ordae Tendenae. 

Stenosi s Osti Lumen

degree .

Thrombi or cm boli 

( Ŝ -'Aorta

Arteriosclerosis Type

Location

Lungs ( ) Right /  ^  gm.
Left /  ____  _  gtti.

Consolidation

Atelectasis

Degree____

Elast ic ity

Ascending

Col ci fi ed 

Thorocic 

Adhesion s

Location ond si ze.  

Location ond s iz e _

Ulceroted

Abdominal

Speciol Chart 3 
. Speci ol Cf'ort 4



3 6 7

P a g e  3 

Autopsy No

O  1
( ) Spleen w t._  L C L -  . 9^-

Other

( )‘-p'^phag'js Mucosa

( xLJSf^gch

/(W

Dimensions.

Ulcerated

Ulcerated

Contents. . cc .

( ) (0 y 6 6 e

( ) Recti^Fi

( txiC^svt. jooT)_

Hemorrhoi ds

gm. Dimensions ,

Thrombosed

( ) Duct stones 

( ) Lobulotion

Kidney ( ) right wt._ gm.

Dimen lion 5____________ x ------------  x  

C o r t e x   ______________  mm.

Oth«

Special Chart 6 

Special Chart 5 

Special Chart 5

Speciol Chart 5

Special Chart 6



3 6 8

Pea*! ^
/ 9 7 ^ / -

Au f  p iy  No--------- --------

r

kidnry cont d . . .

R i g h t  k i d n e y Left kidn-y

Cortical surface Smooth noduior frtol fvnoct' 1 mdijlnr fetal

F me Coarse "-int Conrse

re i  VI __________________________ _________

Special Chart 7

( ) Ureters Patent Obstructed Dilat-d  St-.n-s

Locotion I

(k-)^ladder Urine Suaar

Trabeciilction F l in t Moderate Prominent

( ) Prostate wf.

Obstruction 1+ 2+ 3f-

{ ) Urethra Mucosa

r j-«nr-*nObstruction

( ) Seminal v^si cle

( ) T est is f ) Right

( ) L e f t _

Specie! Chart 7

( ) Vagina

( ) Uterus

Normal

Hymen

Weight______

( ) Cervix

Atroohic

intact

Voginiti s 

Ruptured

Typ"' of f lu id..

Dimensions.

( ) Endometrium T h ic k n e s s—  --------— — --------------

( ) Fcllopinn T u k-s  Adhorions Ohstructi-r,

Ovary ( ) Right ( ) Left Dimensions------------------- x ---------

C o r p u s  L u t e u m  C o r p u s  A l b i c o n s Specie! Chart 7



3 ; ; 9

Page 5 

Autopsy No.

Adrenals ( ) Right S ize . gm. Left Si 1 (r- . gm.

Corticol nodularity None 

( ) Medulla ______________________

Other None Other.

( ) Pituitary  

Infarcts

( ) Sltelotal Nl. 

Lipping vertebro 

Exostosi s 

( ) Bono Marrow 

Red

{ ) Sinuses

Si ze.

Osteoporosi s

eh ere.

Fatty

( ) Brain

( ) Sphenoid 

( ) Mid. Eor 

( ) Other 

Not examined

.gm.

. mgm.

Tumors

Where.

Where.

C lear

W,.

( ) Dura

( ) Pia-orachnoid 

( ) Venous sinuses  

( ) Pineal

( ) Spinol cord w t.______________ gm.

Size Cervical C-3 mm..

Thorocic D-10 mm..

Lumbar L-3 mm..

Other______________________

Exudate

Thrombi

Special Chart 8

Purulent

Atrophy Hemorrhage

Special Chart 9

Special Churf 10



if l\.
C H A R T  /(/18

/ ) 7

c  r  ■ 
^  J



RIGHT HEAD Special Chari- 14

7



 ̂ A 7 4 -5 5 9
Edward Garner

HEART: 

LUMG : 

PANCREAS: 

KIDNEY:

Normal

Normal

Normal

Normal

MICROSCOPIC SUMMARY





Edward Gamer 318917 Neurosurgery
C IT Y  OF MEMPHIS HOSPITALS

O' .H O S P IT A L .

Admltted-

Discharg* Summary
10-3-74

Dlschorgod. l .q- ^ - 7 4

This young black male was brought to the John Gaston Hospital 
Emergency'Room the evening of 10-3-74 with a history that he had 
been shot in the head by the police in circumstances which were vm- 
known to me. When I first saw this young man, he was lying in the 
Emergency Room with a gunshot wound on the back of the head. There 
was a lot of blood on the sheet. He was moaningsome, lying on the 
bed. He was bilaterally decerebrate. The pupils were midposition 
and fixed. Doll's head movements appear to be intact bilaterally. 
His repirations were approximately 10 per minute and quite shallow. 
His pulse was about 60 and regular, the X-ray showed a gunshot 
wound on the back of the head that appeared to be transcereball,
I thought on the pre-operative Xray examination there might be 
a superior sagittal sinus injury in addition. Thepatient was taken 
to surgery in a very critical condition. We attempted to do a 
craniotomy and repair teh gunshot wound to the head; however, he 
expired on teh table soon after we got surgery started. At surgery, 
we did find an extensive skull injury on the back of the head, and 
in addition, a transected superior sggittal sinus.
ADMISSION DIAGNOSIS: Gunshot wound to the head.
DISCHARGE DIAGNOSIS: Same, with extensive cortical injury and
superior sagittal sinus transection,
OPERATIVE AND SPECIAL PROCEDURES: Attempted repair of gunshot woundto head through craniotomy,

Howard morg^, M.D.
12-29-74
HM/DI

F O R M  # 4 0 A



M A M S  A M O  U N I T  N U M U N A O M I M I O N  N U M M I I  N U H O IM O  O T A T IO N

DOOM on Bu> Mima

C IT Y  o r  M KM P H IS  H O aP fT A I.

PROOREM  NOTES

UNIT N O .

2 m .

/ r -

c f f T U c . ^

1 ,





73
# 7 0 0  R E V .  

7/20/72 CITY OF MEMPHIS HOSPITALS 
REPORT OF OPERATION

Unit No— a is a iz . 

HOSPITAL Gastca.

Name Edward Garner
Date of

.Operation___10-4-74
Date of

■Dictation 10-4-74 Floor

Attending Surgeon pr. Jame s- T. Robe rtson------  Resident Surgeon — Dr. Mdrgan-

Assistants Dr. Will lams---------------------------------------- ----------------------------------------------------

Anesthetist Dr. NI&Mok-a------------------------
Anes. Time Total Anes.
Began _______________________ T im e______

Anesthetic genars--nasal tracheal-------
Scrub Circulating

—  Nurse— Hayes-------------- Nurse Downey

Operation: ATTEMPTED REPAIR OF GUNSHOT WOUND TO HEAD

Sponge Count; Correct Q  Missing Q  Condition of patient Operating time

Preoperative diagnosis: Gunshot wound to head, tra n s p a r ie ta l , probable superior  sa g it ta l  
sinus in ju ry .

Postoperative diagnosis: T ran scortica l gunshot wormo tc  head, p a r ie t a l ,  with complete 
la ce ra t io n  o f  superior  sa g it ta l  sinus.

Surgical Findings: jh e  e n tr 'n ce  wound in  the head was in the r igh t  parieta l area.
There were numerous comminuted bone fragments in the p o s te r io r  parietal area on both s ides  
o v e r  the m'.dline. The e x i t  vxjund was ii. the l e f t  parieta l area. The comrainutda bone 
fragments were e a s i ly  l i f t e d  o f f  o f  the dura. The entrance wound in the brain was ju s t  
underneath the entrance wound in the skin about two inches from the m id line . The b u l le t  
traversed  through the su p erior  parieta l lobe  and then t o t a l l y  la cera ted .  The superior  
s a g i t t a l  s inus. There was considerab le  amount o f  c o r t i c a l  damage done oi. the l e f t  s ide  
in  the parieta l lobe a ls o .

PROCEDURE: This young black lale was in a very c r i t i c a l  s ta te  having recently  been shot
in  the head. He had been f i r s t  seen in the Emergency Room where h is  neurolog ica l status 
was grave. He vas given Mannitol, x-rays taken o f  the skull and he was immediately 
rushed to  surgery. He was i i tu b r te d  nasal t ra ch e a lly  end placed on the operating tab le  
in  the prone p o s i t io n ,  with the head resting  on the ce r e b e l la r  head r e s t .  P os te r io r  aspect 
o f  the head was shaved, prep 'd  and draped in the s-^andard fash ion . The entrance wound 
as mentioned was in the r ig h t  parieta l area with the e x i t  wound in the l e f t  p ar ie ta l area. 
An in c is io n  was made in the coronal plane incorporating  these two la cera t ion s  where the 
b u l l e t  had penetrated. The skin f la p  was then flapped back s u b p e r io s te a l ly .  As mentioned 
we encountered a v;hole bunch o f  comminuted fragments o f  s k u l l .  Thes'. were l i f t e d  o f f  
the  dura and we could see immediately that tha b u l le t  had traversed the superior  s a g it ta l  
s in u s  and had t o t a l l y  la cerated  th is  s tru ctu re .  Bleeding v/as vigorous f o r  ju s t  a few 
m inutes, but i t  was e a s i ly  c o n tr o l le d  with f in g e r  pressure on the s inus. At th is  time the 
p a t ie n t  who had not had very good v i ta l  signs at th is  point began to  become worse and 
he suddenly was without blood pressure and pulse. At th is  point we l i g a t 'd  the 
s u p e r io r  sa g it ta l  sinus and c lo se d  the wound rap id ly  with s i l k  and nylon. Estimated blood 
l o s s  'uring the surgical procedure was about one un it .  This amount o f  blood v.as replaced  
p r i o r  to his demise. The patien t  was taken to  the intensive  care unit where he wi l l  be 
s e n t  to  the morgue soon.

Howard Morgan, M. D.Pdy