Things Fell Apart
S2. Ep 1: The Most Mysterious Deaths
Podcast summary created with Snipd AI
Quick takeaways
- The mysterious deaths of black sex workers in Miami in the 1980s led to the development of the controversial 'excited delirium' theory, which was later used to justify excessive use of force by law enforcement.
- The persistence of the debunked 'excited delirium' theory highlights the potential racial bias in its application and the need for greater scrutiny when attributing deaths to this concept.
Deep dives
The Miami Serial Killer and Excited Delirium Theory
In the 1980s, Miami experienced a series of mysterious deaths of black sex workers. These women were found dead, naked from the waist down, and with low levels of a specific drug in their systems. Dr. Charles Wetley, the medical examiner, concluded that these deaths were due to a combination of cocaine and sex, labeling it as 'excited delirium.' However, doubts emerged when a 14-year-old victim, Antoinette Burns, was found without drugs in her system. Eventually, it was discovered that a serial killer was responsible for these deaths. Despite this revelation, excited delirium theory persisted and was even used to justify excessive use of force by law enforcement. The theory was promoted by Dr. Wetley and TASA International, a company specializing in police equipment. The term excited delirium continues to be controversial and is not recognized by reputable medical associations.
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