A reader emailed me to ask why Coroner Noguchi has not come forward with a statement about Goodbye Natalie Goodbye Splendour.
I've contacted Thomas Noguchi several times, but always get a polite response from his attorney claiming Noguchi made a decision long ago to remain silent about the Wood case. I would hope this would change.
If you have any questions, please click on comments and I will answer in the comment thread.
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Noguchi's reluctance to discuss the case speaks volumes. If he truly believed that Natalie's death was an accident and if he truly believed that what he wrote in his book was true, he would say as much.
ReplyDeleteAlso, where is Rasure? Not a word from him?
All of this silence is deafening.
Well Noguchi is 83 years old. He is probably not going to say anything else on this or on any other subject. His official responsibility was to conduct the autopsy and to prepare a report of his physical findings, which he did and he determined, officially, only that Natalie died from drowning. Noguchi's proffered theories outside of the immediate cause of death were quasi-gratuitous. His job was not to theorize on what happened. That was the job of the authorities from analyzing the evidence. So for him to comment now would be just as gratuitous.
ReplyDeleteBut he did theorize. His finding that it was an accidental drowning is theory based on the what the police reported to him. What the police reported to him were the lies that the 3 men told the police.
ReplyDeleteIn his book he theorized. when he appeared on TV documentaries, he theorized.
It's a fact that she drowned, the rest is theory.
Exactly, he theorized that her drowning was an accident, but that was supposed to be the job of the detectives. It was not up to Noguchi to make the determination of accident based on what the detectives told him. Rather, it was up to the detectives to receive Noguchi's report that drowning was the cause of death, and to take that into consideration together with all of the other physical and witness evidence that they were supposed to collect and analyze. Which they did not do. It was up to the authorities to find out how she ended up in the ocean. It is rather safe to conclude that if Noguchi was told that Mr. Wagner caused Natalie to fall into the ocean, he would not have theorized "accident." So the fact that he declines to comment now does not really mean anything.
ReplyDeleteI agree with all of the above. There really isn't much Noguchi could offer, but I wouldn't mind hearing what he now "theorizes" of Natalie bruises, knowing what he learned years later, that indeed there was what sounded like a physical argument in the master stateroom. I'd also like his response to how Natalie's socks stayed on her feet if she had tried for hours to mount a dinghy by hoisting her legs over the side. Would that type of action cause "circular bruising"? I would value any professionals' opinions on these issues.
ReplyDeleteMarti
ReplyDeleteAre the rooms of the Splendour soundproofed? I'm curious to know what could be heard from Walken's cabin in relation to the master stateroom as well as outside stern deck of the boat. If Walken was left shaken by the bottle smashing incident, I'd think that the possiblility of him being awake to hear the fight going on would be real, since it occurred 10-15 minutes after he retired to his room. Dennis would probably know from his own stay on the boat about noise levels from cabin to cabin.
Michael B
I can't imagine that Walken didn't hear anything. His inconsistent stories about that ordeal (and the way he has crudely phrased things) have been absurd. He is very dishonorable. I sure wish Natalie hadn't wasted her time and attention on that creep. He wasn't worth it--and she ultimately lost her life for having invited him.
ReplyDelete1. Why can't Lana Wood file a wrongful death suit or a civil case against RJ like Nicole's family did?
ReplyDelete2. It sounds like Marilyn's boat was quite aways from Splendour; while Davern was 15 feet away. Why couldn't he hear her screams for help and Marilyn could, even with the music? Also it is hard to believe with all the fighting and screaming that Walken didn't come out to investigate. He really slept through the whole thing? hmmm. PS. LOVED the book.
CM