Thomas Noguchi facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Thomas Noguchi 野口恒富
Noguchi in 2016
Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner for the County of Los Angeles
In office 1967–1982
Preceded by	Theodore Curphey
Succeeded by	Ronald Kornblum
Personal details
Born	Thomas Tsunetomi Noguchi (1927-01-04) January 4, 1927 (age 98) Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan
Nationality	American
Residences	Los Angeles, California, U.S.
Alma mater	Nippon Medical School
Occupation	Coroner, medical examiner

Thomas Tsunetomi Noguchi (野口 恒富, born January 4, 1927) is a famous American doctor. He used to be the chief medical examiner-coroner for Los Angeles County. People often called him the "coroner to the stars."

Dr. Noguchi became well-known for his work in Hollywood. He investigated the deaths of many famous people. These included Marilyn Monroe, Robert F. Kennedy, Janis Joplin, and Natalie Wood. His job was to find out how and why people died.

Early Life and Education

Thomas Noguchi was born in Japan in 1927. He grew up in a city called Yokosuka. He studied medicine at the Nippon Medical School in Tokyo. He finished his studies there in 1951.

Soon after, he moved to the United States. He continued his medical training in California. He worked at hospitals in Orange County and Los Angeles.

Career Highlights

Starting as a Coroner

Dr. Noguchi began working in Los Angeles in 1961. He joined the office of the Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner. He first gained public attention after examining the death of actress Marilyn Monroe.

In 1967, he became the Chief Medical Examiner-Coroner. This was a very important job. He was in charge of all death investigations in Los Angeles County. He took over from his teacher, Theodore Curphey.

Famous Cases and Challenges

As Chief Medical Examiner, Dr. Noguchi investigated many well-known cases. He performed autopsies on celebrities like John Belushi and Sharon Tate. An autopsy is a medical examination to find the cause of death.

One of his most famous cases was the death of Senator Robert F. Kennedy. Dr. Noguchi's examination showed how the fatal shot was fired. This finding led to some questions about the event.

After the Kennedy case, Dr. Noguchi faced some challenges. He resigned from his position for a short time. There were disagreements about his work and how he managed his office.

Returning to His Role

Many people, especially from the Japanese American community, supported Dr. Noguchi. They asked for him to be given his job back. He was then restored to his position as Chief Medical Examiner.

In his second term, Dr. Noguchi continued to face criticism. Some people felt he talked too much to the media. There were also concerns about how he handled some cases. For example, his ruling on Natalie Wood's death was later questioned by another medical examiner.

In 1982, he was moved to a different role. He became a physician specialist instead of the chief coroner.

Later Career and Honors

After leaving the coroner's office, Dr. Noguchi continued his medical career. He became a professor at the University of Southern California and UCLA. He taught about pathology, which is the study of diseases.

Dr. Noguchi also led the American National Association of Medical Examiners. This is a group for doctors who investigate deaths. In 1999, the Emperor of Japan honored him. He received the Order of the Sacred Treasure for his work in forensic science. Forensic science uses science to solve crimes.

He retired in 1999. From 2010 to 2022, he was the president of the World Association for Medical Law. This group studies laws related to medicine and health.

Books by Thomas Noguchi

Dr. Noguchi has written several books about his experiences and forensic science:

• Coroner, 1983. This book is his memoir, telling his life story.
• Coroner at Large, 1985. This book looks at the history of coroners and famous deaths.
• Unnatural Causes, 1988. This is a detective novel he wrote with Arthur Lyons.
• Physical Evidence, 1990. Another detective novel written with Arthur Lyons.

See also

In Spanish: Thomas Noguchi para niños