Mark Jensen Murder Trial - Donchais Notes

Something has been bugging me.

I’m stuck on the death scene photo of Julie’s face where her mouth and nose are grossly distorted and pushed to the side.

Nowhere in the autopsy report is that noted as Craig Albee points out so often to refute the idea that Julie may have been smothered.

A paramedic testified that Julie Jensen had no pulse when she was found and appeared to have been dead some time. She was cold to the touch and lividity had set in. Paramedics arrived at the scene around 4:30 pm on December 3rd, 1998. Julie’s body was removed around 10 pm.

Now, follow along….

After death, the muscles of the body go through 3 stages:

1) Primary relaxation or flaccidity
2) Rigor mortis
3) Secondary flaccidity

Rigor starts to occur in 2-4 hours. The smaller, shorter muscle groups of the face and neck are affected first. Rigor then begins to disappear in 24 hours.

So, does this explain why the autopsy report makes no mention of the facial distortion?