DISCLAIMER
Please note that the research for this essay was done as an independent project and has not been directed by or overseen by any other researcher or investigator. This research is based on high quality references which are listed at the end. All rights reserved.

ABSTRACT
A comprehensive review of 99 forensic, criminological, and other scientific references was undertaken with regards to analyzing the postmortem blood morphine level of Kurt Cobain. The following essay reports on this review, which includes 19 studies of 1526 deaths specifically involving blood morphine levels of intravenous heroin related overdoses, as shown in Appendix A. Other studies which were reviewed include thousands of heroin-related deaths in general, over 3226 heroin related overdoses, over 3586 suicides, 760 violent suicides, several significant staged deaths, autopsy procedures & discrepancies, postmortem pharmacokinetics of drugs, and, with respect to the traces of a "diazepam-like" substance found in Cobain's blood, several references were reviewed regarding benzodiazepines. Table 1, below, shows a seven point summary of the material reviewed, which provides a clear picture of Cobain's true cause of death, homicide. Thus, in contrast with the "official" verdict of suicide by shotgun, the scientific facts point to a series of events which probably included a massive, lethal "hot shot" dose of heroin and a benzodiazepine administered to Cobain, which would have either immediately rendered him incapacitated in a comatose state or killed him instantly. No suicide or overdose case exists, in any of the many references reviewed, which parallels the Cobain case, most likely because the chain of events which occurred cannot be duplicated. This chain of events specifically resembles homicide patterns, not suicide, and should be re-opened to allow an independent re-investigation of the serious discrepancies in the verdict, which should be changed.

TABLE 2 - Therapeutic, Toxic, & Lethal Dose Ranges of Intravenous Heroin in Relation to Low & High Tolerance Levels

TABLE 3 - Dose Equivalents of Heroin & Morphine

TABLE 4 - Dose & Blood Level Equivalents of Intravenous Heroin

TABLE 5 - Absence of Parallel Case Among 760 Violent Suicides

TABLE 6 - Rarity of Suicide Among Missing Persons

TABLE 7 - Homicidal Poisoning by Intravenous Heroin: Hot Shots

TABLE 8 - Prevalence of "Major" Autopsy Discrepancies

TABLE 9 - Some Probability Summaries

Appendix A - Compendium of Intravenous Heroin Related Deaths Where Blood Morphine Levels Were Tested

Appendix B - 19 Cobain Related Sympathetic "Copycat" Suicides

References