Free Case Study About Norma Jean Mortenson

1. What was her given name?

2. How many times was she married and to whom?
Marilyn Monroe married for three times. At first she married an aircraft worker James Dougherty, next she married baseball player Joe DiMaggio, and at last she married the famous playwright Arthur Miller.
3. When did she die?

She died on Sunday, August 5, 1962.

4. Who was the pathologist assigned to the case?
Dr. Thomas Noguchi was the pathologist assigned to the case.
5. Who pronounced her death?
The physician of Marilyn Monroe, Dr. Hyman Engelberg pronounced her death.
6. What was found next to her bed?
Several bottles of drugs, including an empty bottle of Nembutal sleeping pills, and a partially empty container of chloral hydrate were found on the table next to her bed.
7. What did the toxicologist`s report reveal?
Toxicologist’s report revealed that the blood contained 8.0 mg percent of chloral hydrate, and the liver contained 13.0 mg. percent of pentobarbital (Nembutal). Both the levels of chloral hydrate in blood, and pentobarbital in the liver of Marilyn Monroe were far above the fatal level.
8. Why do some believe she was murdered?
Although the reason of death of Marilyn Monroe was due to an overdose of drugs but, there was no visual trace of pills or capsules in her stomach or small intestines, no traces of yellow dye of consumed Nembutal capsules in the linings of the throat, esophagus, stomach and small intestines, and absence of injection mark on her body that was given by her psychiatrist on the previous day before her death.
9. How did Dr. Baden counter the supporters of the conspiracy theory?
According to Dr. Baden, the absorption process of liquids into the bloodstream is comparatively faster in some people than others. The alcohol, barbiturates, and water could all have absorbed into the bloodstream of Marilyn Monroe after she lost consciousness, and before she died. So, there was no visual trace of drugs in her stomach or small intestines.
10. Why were no injection marks found on her body even though her psychiatrist admitted given her one the previous day?
It was due to the reason that puncture marks made by fine surgical needles heal within a few hours. So, the needle marks of injection of the previous day disappeared when she died.
11. How did the pathologist ensure there were no needle marks?
The pathologist Dr. Noguchi used a magnifying lens, and very thoroughly examined the body of Marilyn Monroe to ensure that there was no needle mark.
12. What else indicated that massive amounts of drugs were ingested?

The autopsy report indicated that massive amounts of drugs were ingested.

13. What is a petechial hemorrhage? How did its presence prove she ingested drugs?

Petechial hemorrhage is raw, red marks on the body.

The petechial hemorrhage beneath the mucosa or stomach`s lining confirm that the drugs were ingested, and passed through the stomach.