Thanks for trying to answer my question, Userid. You’re the only poster who took on the challenge. I hope people don’t allow their theory about who is responsible to influence what they think happened. That’s kind of along the lines of the proverbial cart and horse, isn’t it? Unfortunately, that’s what I think too many investigators and “experts” might be doing at times.
Other than those who just blindly accept it and try to explain how it might have happened, the thing about the two strangulations (I think) is that they are trying to explain what is obvious in some of the leaked autopsy photos and what Dr. Meyer described in the AR. Just for reference, here is exactly what the AR says about the neck injuries:
A deep ligature furrow encircles the entire neck. The width of the furrow varies from one-eighth of an inch to five/sixteenths of an inch and is horizontal in orientation, with little upward deviation. The skin of the anterior neck above and below the ligature furrow contains areas of petechial hemorrhage and abrasion encompassing an area measuring approximately 3x2 inches. The ligature furrow crosses the anterior midline of the neck just below the laryngeal prominence, approximately at the level of the cricoid cartilage. It is almost completely horizontal with slight upward deviation from the horizontal towards the back of the neck. The midline of the furrow mark on the anterior neck is 8 inches below the top of the head. The midline of the furrow mark on the posterior neck is 6.75 inches below the top of the head.
The area of abrasion and petechial hemorrhage of the skin of the anterior neck includes on the lower left neck, just to the left of the midline, a roughly triangular, parchment-like rust colored abrasion which measures 1.5 inches in length with a maximum width of 0.75 inches. This roughly triangular shaped abrasion is obliquely oriented with the apex superior and lateral. The remainder of the abrasions and petechial hemorrhages of the skin above and below the anterior projection of the ligature furrow are nonpatterned, purple to rust colored, and present in the midline, right, and left areas of the anterior neck. The skin just above the ligature furrow along the right side of the neck contains petechial hemorrhage composed of multiple confluent very small petechial hemorrhages as well as several larger petechial hemorrhages measuring up to one-sixteenth and one-eighth of an inch in maximum dimension. Similar smaller petechial hemorrhages are present on the skin below the ligature furrow on the left lateral aspect of the neck.
Notice he describes an area of “abrasions and petechial hemorrhages of the skin above and below the anterior projection of the ligature furrow.” Petechial hemorrhages can be caused from several different abnormal processes. Without going into each way they can form, what caused the ones on JonBenet’s neck is restricted blood flow (from the ligature) which caused the capillaries to over-pressure and then rupture, creating tiny little bloodspots just under the surface of the skin. In ligature strangulation, these are very common. But here’s the thing: they usually form above the ligature from restricted venous return (and continued arterial input) or from applied physical disruption.
In addition to the ME’s remarks, the leaked autopsy photos show a very prominent white line below the laryngeal prominence (the “Adam’s apple”. It’s a shame Meyer didn’t mention it in the AR, but it is very obvious in the photos. Its width is about the same as the width of the furrow, so I suspect it is from the cord or at least from something the same diameter as the cord. I think what the “experts” are attempting to do is account for this area of petechiae and the white line on her neck below the ligature furrow and below the congested area on her neck.
Dr. Wecht tried to account for it as repeated tightening and loosening of the cord before she was strangled, leading him to his theory that it was some sort of “vicarious autoerotic asphyxiation.” But the problem with that is the fact that a white line wouldn’t remain if it was done antemortem. Blood circulation would cause it to return to its normal color if it was done while she was still alive.
The scene shown in the movie version of PMPT and Det. Arndt’s statement about the cord being “wrapped twice” doesn’t hold up because the autopsy photo showing the cord after it was cut free from her neck by the ME disputes the diameter of the loop were it wrapped twice.
While it’s possible her shirt collar might have been twisted before she died, there is no evidence of it (that I know of) other than speculation about the balled-up shirt found in the bathroom, and it wouldn’t account for the injuries that we know happened because of the AR and the photos. The twisted shirt collar wouldn’t cause the thin, white line. It might fit nicely into some theories about what might have happened, but (TMK) there is no evidence supporting it.
I’ve quoted this before, but I think the following quote perfectly describes JonBenet’s neck injuries so it’s worth repeating. It comes from a book written entirely about neck injuries. The book is Pathology of Neck Injury, by Peter Vanezis:
It is not unusual in homicidal ligature strangulation to find that there is more than one ligature mark, each of varying intensity and crossing each other, in parallel or at an angle to each other. Together with such an appearance, one quite commonly sees abrasions caused by movement of a ligature across the neck.
If anyone cares to read more about petechial hemorrhaging, here’s a long post with a lot of info and references from a few years ago:
No problem -- it's the least I could do, considering all the incredibly useful information and all the questions you've answered for me since I started posting about the case! Really, I love your posts, so thank you.
