Dr. T.

Quelle: The Herald of Arkansas State University

Forensic pathologist, deputy medical examiner and "CSI" consultant Dr. Gary Telgenhoff .
"Dr. T," as he is known around the "CSI" set, discussed his job as a medical examiner and the role he plays as a consultant to the hit TV show."
"Telgenhoff noted that most of what the CSI technicians do on TV does not happen in reality. CSI technicians do not interview witnesses, run tests, use microscopes or solve crimes. Technicians collect all possible evidence from a crime scene, process dead bodies and testify in court. Despite what is portrayed on television, "solving crimes is a team effort," Telgenhoff said. He, then, described what he does as a forensic pathologist.

Pathology is the study of disease. Forensic pathology is pathology with an emphasis on unnatural death. Forensic pathologists perform autopsies and decide two things: the cause of death and the manner of death.
It is usually the manner of death that is more difficult to name, even though there are only five options to choose from. A medical examiner must choose from homicide, suicide, accident, natural, or undetermined when deciding the manner of death.
Telgenhoff noted that homicide does not always equal murder.
Homicide is defined as "the taking of one life by another," according to Telgenhoff. He gave one such example. If a man was running up and down a city street waving and shooting a gun in the air and a police officer fired and killed this man, then the death would be considered a homicide, but not murder.