Names and faces

— Some of the bruises found on Natalie Wood’s body may have occurred before the actress drowned in the waters off Southern California more than 30 years ago, according to a newly released coroner’s report on one of Hollywood’s most mysterious deaths. The case took another twist Monday when officials released a 10-page addendum to Wood’s 1981 autopsy that cites unexplained bruises and scratches on Wood’s face and arms as significant factors that led to officials changing her death certificate last year from a drowning to “drowning and other undetermined factors.” Bruises on Wood’s arms, a scratch on her neck and superficial abrasions to the actress’ face may have occurred before Wood ended up in the waters off Catalina Island in November 1981, but coroner’s officials wrote they could not definitely determine when the injuries occurred. The initial autopsy report said it was likely the bruises happened when Wood drowned. The findings have not altered a sheriff’s office investigation into Wood’s death, which a spokesman described as ongoing. Wood, 43, was on a yacht with her actor-husband Robert Wagner, co-star Christopher Walken and the boat captain on Thanksgiving weekend in 1981 before somehow ending up in the water. A dinghy that had been attached to the boat was found along the island’s shoreline, but investigators could not locate it to review it last year. Wagner’s publicist Alan Nierob declined comment on the coroner’s findings. An e-mail sent to Walken’s publicist was not immediately returned.

Famed pro-wrestler Hulk Hogan has filed a medical malpractice lawsuit against Tampa , Fla.-based spine doctors, alleging he was the victim of unnecessary surgeries which “severely damaged” his career. In a statement, attorneys with the Palm Harbor, Fla.-headquartered Florin Roebig firm say they’re representing Terry Bollea, better known as Hulk Hogan, in a lawsuit filed Monday in Pinellas County circuit court against the Laser Spine Institute LLC. Reached by phone, an LSI spokesman said that the company acknowledged the filing of the suit, but “to protect patient privacy as well as the legal process, we do not discuss the details of litigation matters.”

Front Section, Pages 2 on 01/15/2013

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