|
CORONER
The term Coroner has been in use in England since about the year 900. It
derives from the term coroner (root word corona, Latin for crown, A
officer of the crown@, meaning worked for the King). The position of
Coroner has evolved over the centuries as a public official responsible
for the investigation and certification of cause and manner of cases of
sudden and unnatural death.
Much of American law derives from the English system and the office of
the Coroner has remained in use in the United States to date. The use of
the office of the Coroner varies widely throughout the U.S. Some are
elected positions, others are appointed. Many are open to lay persons,
others require that the Coroner be a physician, and a few require that
the Coroner be a forensic pathologist.
In the State of Washington, law directs that the investigation of sudden
and unnatural deaths take place within the 39 county jurisdictions. The
system varies from county to county. The counties that are smallest by
population have the elected Prosecuting Attorney also serve as Coroner.
In most of the medium sized counties, the Coroner is a separate elected
office. In Washington there is no requirement for the Coroner to be a
physician. Currently (as of 1999), six Washington counties have Medical
Examiners rather than Coroners (Clark, King, Pierce, Snohomish, Spokane,
and Whatcom). Five of the counties (Clark, King, Pierce, Snohomish, and
Spokane) have forensic pathologists serving as the Medical examiner.
MEDICAL EXAMINER
The concept of the Medical Examiner developed in 1877 in the State of
Massachusetts. The public was dissatisfied with layman Coroners and the
system changed to one of appointed physicians. One medical doctor was
appointed to each district (similar to a county jurisdiction) to be the
public official responsible for the investigation of sudden and
unnatural death. Medical examinations were a part of the investigation
and the term "Medical Examiner" has been in use since. The Medical
Examiner concept is used in many states. All are appointed, not elected
positions, and all Medical Examiner's are physicians, but not
necessarily trained in forensic pathology. The modern medical examiner
system developed in 1915 in New York City. A forensic pathologist was
appointed to be the Medical Examiner with statutory authority to
investigate death and provided with a dedicated facility, support staff,
and toxicology laboratory.
FORENSIC PATHOLOGIST
Forensic pathology is a branch of medicine that applies the principles
and knowledge of the medical and related sciences to problems that
concern the general public and issues of the law. A forensic pathologist
is a physician with specialized medical and forensic science training
and knowledge. In practice, forensic pathologists concentrate closely on
the understanding of types and causation of injuries and causes of
sudden and unnatural death. The American Board of Pathology was
established in 1936 and recognized forensic pathology as a formal
sub-specialty in 1958. Forensic pathologists are commonly involved in
death scene investigations, the performance of forensic autopsies
(forensic autopsies have a different focus than that of hospital
autopsies conducted in cases of natural death), review of medical
records, interpretation of toxicology and other laboratory studies,
certification of sudden and unnatural deaths, and court testimony in
criminal and civil law proceedings.
|
