Orlando, FL asked in Criminal Law for Tennessee

Q: Can I request an more in depth investigation be done on my father suspicious suicide?

His death was ruled a suicide immediately, however, there are a lot of factors that do not add up. Murder was thrown around a lot by family members and friends, but nothing was fully invested. The process moved very quickly and he was buried before anything more than a basic autopsy was conducted. As a surviving child can I request it be looked into more?

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1 Lawyer Answer
Paul E. Tennison
Paul E. Tennison
Answered
  • Brentwood, TN
  • Licensed in Tennessee

A: You may absolutely request more investigation be done. Your best way to go about doing this is likely to contact the local police supervisors of the county where your Father died or speak with the DA of that County. As your Father has already been buried, it is likely that the local authorities will be reluctant to exhume the body to conduct an investigation, especially as the death has already been ruled a suicide. You certainly have the right to request that more be done. Yet, with prosecutorial discretion, the authorities do not have a legal obligation to investigate under these circumstances.

If the local authorities are not willing to investigate you may want to go to the media or consider contacting local politicians to see if they will put some pressure on law enforcement to investigate.

I am sorry for your loss, best of luck.

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