No murder in 1973 death of Chile's Allende: probe

[hack89]

Source: AFP

SANTIAGO — Experts examining the remains of Salvador Allende ruled out murder in the leftist president's 1973 death, concluding that he committed suicide as soldiers involved in a coup burst into the presidential palace, the late leader's daughter said Tuesday.

Senator Isabel Allende said that the family received the news with "great peace" because the report conclusions "are consistent with what we already believed."

Patricio Bustos, who heads Chile's national coroner's office, said that experts confirmed the remains belonged to the ex-president by checking the teeth and running a DNA test.

The team of Chilean and foreign experts, including specialists in ballistics, then concluded that his death was caused "by a bullet wound" and that it was "a suicide."

Read more: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5i5_mu172fspM6I9BSxfrN_O99aYA?docId=CNG.f97422e59bd31608dff9da6186deff5f.141

[madokie]

1. I've often wondered how they determine that

that its definitely not a suicide or is a suicide. What would be the difference if someone else was holding the gun at your temple as you holding it yourself

[QUALAR]

2. Multiple Gunshots

I believe he wanted to ensure that he was successful and shot himself close to 50 times.

[mattvermont]

3. yeah, right

Bush senior gets a polish in the rewrite. Are you kidding me? What possible conclusion can come from the 38 year old bones of a dead man?
Ballistic experts, my ass.

[naaman fletcher]

4. Perhaps

But is was the Allende supporters and those we assumed it was murder who pushed for this probe.

[mattvermont]

5. come again?

[naaman fletcher]

7. It was the left that said he was murdered and

that an autopsy would show it. It is the left that cheered this autopsy when it was announced. It would be kind of silly for the left to now say "well, what would this probe possibly tell"?

[rabs]

6. Details of Allende's death

Allende put the rifle under his chin and pulled the trigger. The bullet broke some teeth, went through the roof of the mouth and out the top of his head. Juan Enrique Lira, chief photographer for the anti-Allende newspaper El Mercurio was summoned to take photos of the corpse. He was the only one allowed to photograph the body.


A soldier and firemen take the corpse out.

On the day of the coup, the military shut down ENTEL, the Chilean communications company to the outside world. But there was a telephone landline still open from Santiago to Mendoza, Argentina, on the other side of the Andes.

The news agency United Press reported to a newspaper named Los Andes in Mendoza that Allende was dead, a suicide. That was the version that went around the world that day and made headlines internationally the next.

Within 24 to 48 hours, the International Socialist in Europe, Fidel Castro and the communists in Moscow began a massive propaganda campaign that troops had killed Allende. The Pinochet dictatorship never was able to counter the propaganda, which is why many leftists still believe he was murdered.

This autopsy by Chilean and European forensic scientists dispels any doubt. Even his daughter, Sen. Isabel Allende and the family accept the suicide version.

[dogmoma56]

8. A guy investigating Chaney stabbed himself 36 times then drove his car into a river.. could happen

:shrug:

[Make7]

9. Perhaps, but why would he commit suicide?

He didn't feel like he was an effective President?