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Exit Of Medical Examiners Leave NYC To Stop Doing Autopsies In Queens 


New York City's Office of Chief Medical Examiner is facing severe staffing shortages, leading to the closure of autopsy services at its Queens location, with operations now consolidated in Brooklyn and Manhattan. This change comes as the city's team of medical examiners has dwindled to just 18, barely over half the 2021 number, as reported by the Doctors Council SEIU, the union representing these professionals.


Dr. Frances Quee, union president, emphasized the need for city support, stating, "We are demanding the city provide [the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner] with the resources it desperately needs to ensure public health and safety for all New Yorkers." Funeral directors have voiced concerns over increased travel times to Brooklyn, though they do not expect significant delays in memorial services.


The shortage is further complicated by increased caseloads, especially related to drug overdose deaths. City medical examiners have recently halted autopsies on some suspected overdose cases, intensifying reliance on "surrogate testimony" in court. This process, where another examiner testifies based on notes and records of an absent colleague, faces legal scrutiny, with recent rulings affecting its admissibility. Elizabeth Daniel Vasquez from the Brooklyn Defender Services highlighted the potential impact on criminal cases, noting, "Their opinions about the cause or manner [of death] have significant implications for how someone might be charged…how a case is being presented to the jury."


New York medical examiners, negotiating for higher wages, warn of worsening conditions without competitive pay. Nationally, there is a shortfall of forensic pathologists, with only about 800 certified professionals, while double that number is needed. "The reasons are multifactorial but largely economic," explained Dr. J. Keith Pinckard of the National Association of Medical Examiners, pointing out the government sector's lower salaries compared to private practice.


Efforts to improve efficiency are underway, with autopsy report turnaround times dropping to 91 days by June, aided by financial investments in toxicology labs. Julie Bolcer, a spokesperson for the medical examiner's office, assured that "the realignment does not impede the process of claiming decedents" and that operations with funeral directors continue smoothly despite changes.


Recent news makes KYRC's Autopsy initiative more necessary than ever in regards to police-related and in-custody deaths. For more information, please visit https://knowyourrightscamp.com/autopsyinitiative


Link: Gothamist


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