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TRANSCRIPT OF INQUEST
HELD ON THE BODY OF ELIZABETH SHORT
AT THE HALL OF JUSTICE. LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
JANUARY 22, 1947
At 10:30 A.M.
FREDERICK D. NEWBARR, being first duly sworn, testified as follows:
Q: BY THE CORONER; Please state your name.
A: Frederick D. Newbarr.
Q: What is your occupation?
A: Physician and Surgeon.
Q: And you are the autopsy surgeon for the coroner?
A: Yes, sir, chief autopsy surgeon, Los Angeles County.
Q: Did you perform an autopsy on the body of Elizabeth Short over whom we are holding the present inquest?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: When did you perform the autopsy?
A: January 16, 1947 at 10:30 A.M.
Q: From your examination of the body would you be able to form any opinion as to the date of the death as to whether it was on the 15th or prior to the 15th?
A: It was my opinion that the appearance of the body was such that the death occurred not more than 24 hours previous to the 15th, probably less.
Q: So that the death would have occurred either on the 14th or 15th?
A: Yes, sir.
Q: Will you please state to the Jury either briefly or in full as you like, the result of your autopsy findings, please?
A: The immediate cause of the death was hemorrhage and shock due to concussion of the brain and lacerations of the face. The body is that of a female about 15 to 20 years of age, measuring 5'5" in height and weighing 115 pounds. There are multiple lacerations in the midforehead, in the right forehead, and at the top of the head in the midline. There are multiple tiny abrasions, linear in shape on the right face and forehead. There are two small lacerations, 1/4" each in length, on each side of the nose near the bridge. There is a deep laceration in the face 3" long which extends laterally from the right corner of the mouth. The surrounding tissues are ecchymotic and bluish purple in color. There is a deep laceration 2&1/2" long extending laterally from the left corner of the mouth. The surrounding tissues are bluish purple in color. There are five linear lacerations in the right upper lip which extend into the soft tissues for a distance of 1/8". The teeth are in a state of advanced decay. The two upper central incisors are loose and one lower incisor is loose. The rest of the teeth show cavities. Upon reflecting the scalp, there is ecchymosis in the right and frontal areas of subarachnoid hemorrhage on the right side and small hemorrhagic areas in the corpus callosum. No fracture of the skull is visible. There is a depressed ridge on both sides and in the anterior portion of the neck. It is light brown in color. There is an abrasion irregular in outline in the skin of the neck in the anterior midline. There are two linear abrasions in the left anterior neck. It is light brown in color. There are two depressed ridges in the posterior neck, pale brown in color. The lower ridge has an abrasion in the skin at each extremity. The pharynx&larnyx are intact. There is no evidence of trauma to the hyoid bone, thyroid or cricoid cartilages or tracheal rings. There is a small area of ecchymosis in the soft tissues of the right neck at the level of the upper tracheal rings. There is no obstruction in the laryngotracheal passage. There is an irregular laceration with superficial loss in the skin of the right breast. The tissue loss is more or less square in outline and measures 3 & 1/4" transversely and 2 & 1/2" longitudinally; Extending toward the midline from this irregular laceration are several superficial lacerations in the skin. There is an elliptical opening in the skin located 3/4" to the left of the left nipple. The opening measures 2 & 3/4" in a transverse direction and 1 & 1/4" in a longitudinal direction in its midportion. The margins of these wounds show no appreciable discoloration.
Q: Doctor, I don't believe it will be necessary for you to read all this. It is rather long and I don't think we need to read all of it here. The essential findings with regard to cause of death have already been expressed; and that is the concussion of the brain and the lacerations of the face. The portion of your findings with regard to the chest, would you read that on the second page there, the organs of the chest, were they in a normal position?
A: The left lung is pink in color and well aerated. The right lung is somewhat adherant due to fairly firm pleural adhesions. The lung is pink in color and well aerated. There is calcified thickening of the 9th rib on the right side in the scapular line. The heart shows no gross pathology.
Q: Then the next paragraph with regard to the severing of the body?
A: The trunk is completely severed by an incision which is almost straight through the abdomen severing the intestine at the duodenum and through the soft tissues of the abdomen passing through the intervertebral disk between the 2nd and 3rd lumbar vertebra. There is very little ecchymosis along the tract of the incision. There is a gaping laceration 4 & 1/2" which extends longitudinally from the umbilicus to the suprapubic area. On both sides of this laceration there are multiple superficial lacerations. There are multiple criss cross lacerations in the suprapubic area which extend through the skin and soft tissues. No ecchymosis is seen.
Q: Was there evidence of any sexual assault? You might read the last paragraph, and I believe that covers it, on the next page.
A: The stomach was filled with greenish brown granular material, mostly feces and other particles which could not be identified. All smears for spermatazoa are negative.
Q: Is there anything else which would contribute to the medical cause of death?
A: No, sir, I don't think so.
Q: Your finding is that the real cause of death was hemorrhage and shock due to blows to the head?
A: Blows on the head and face.
VERDICT OF CORONER'S JURY
STATE OF CALIFORNIA, County of Los Angeles
In the Matter of the Inquisition upon the body of
Elizabeth Short, Deceased,
Before BEN H. BROWN, Coroner.
We, the Jurors, summoned to appear before the Coroner of Los Angeles County at room 102, Hall of Justice, Los Angeles County, California, on the 22nd day of January A.D. 1947, to inquire into the cause of the death of Elizabeth Short, having been duly sworn according to law, and having made such inquisition and hearing the testimony adduced, upon our oaths, each and all do say that we find that the deceased was named Elizabeth Short, a female, single, native of Mass., aged about 22 years, and that she came to her death found on the 15th day of January, 1947 at Norton St. Between 39th and Coliseum Drive, Los Angeles, Los Angeles County, California, and that this death was caused by hemorrhage and shock due to concussion of the brain and lacerations of face; and from the testimony introduced we find said injuries to have been inflicted on the deceased by some person or persons unknown at this time to this jury and at some location unknown to this jury; and we find this to be a homicide and recommend that every effort be made to apprehend the perpetrator or perpetrators responsible therefor, all of which we duly certify by this inquisition in writing, by us signed this 22nd day of January, 1947.
Choteau W. Paul, Foreman
Paul I. Todd
Robert Kessler
H. W. LaChat
S. R. Moore
R. W. Rose
Fred Weller
H. E. Brier
F. D. Tucker
CREDIT ♥ MARY PACIOS
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