ME INDEPENDENCE POSITION PAPER Melinek et al.!!"!!#$%&!'( purposes. scholarly for solely [email protected]. Acad Forensic Pathol YIZH$H$4ZDL$[HE[\ © 2013 National Association of Medical Examiners IJ4K!3&.+-&L!3H!+0!$-!/00+0*$-*! 3&4+1$.!56$7+-&8!$*!*>&!G2S1&! ,2!*>&!<>+&2!3&4+1$.!56$7+-&8!+-! A$-!=8$-1+01,;!$-4!$-!/00+0*$-*! <.+-+1$.!#8,2&00,8!$*!T-+O&80+*K!,2! <$.+2,8-+$!$*!A$-!=8$-1+01,N ?0*+('$?.22-!*-("3L$M&""&/-"$ N(0"*6$@&#-,!2$AB!%-"&':3$O).,&$ 4P

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distributed be may but use, personal for intended is article This member. NAME a Objective: Forensic pathologists play a vital role in the justice system in matters by Forensic pathology, Medical examiner, Independence, Policy Downloaded Evidence: Surveys of NAME members revealed that medical examiner independence was important to most members. Over 70% of survey respondents had been subjected to pres­ 30'&3$*($-"90&",&$*+&-'$."#-"53=$!"#$%!"6$+!#$30))&'&#$"&5!*-7&$,("3&F0&",&3$)('$'&3-3*-"5$ *+(3&$-"90&",&3;$G"$!$3&/!'!*&$3*0#6=$(7&'$HIJ$()$'&3/("#&"*3$-"#-,!*&#$*+!*$)&!'$()$2-*-5! Conclusions: It is the position of NAME that forensic pathologists working in or for medi­,!2$&B!%-"&'$('$,('("&'$().,&3$('$!3$/'-7!*&$,("302*!"*3$3+(02#$1&$/&'%-**&#$*($(1K&,*-7&26$ pursue and report the facts and their opinions of those cases which they are investigating -"#&/&"#&"*$()$/(2-*-,!2$-"90&",&3$)'(%$(*+&'$!5&",-&3$>-*+-"$*+&-'$'&3/&,*-7&$K0'-3#-,*-("3$ and independent of the threat of litigation. concerning questions of death. Science as applied in the justice system should be objective and neutral. Since the goals of medical examiners and coroners are to determine the cause !"#$%!""&'$()$#&!*+$)('$,&'*-.,!*-("$!"#$/012-,$+&!2*+$)0",*-("3$45(!23$#-))&'&"*$!"#$#-3*-",*$ Participants: The ad hoc Committee on Medical Examiner Independence ?33(,-!*-("$()$@&#-,!2$AB!%-"&'3$4C?@AD=$!$3&2)E3&2&,*&#$7(20"*&&'$,(%%-**&&=$#&7&2(/&#$ of the National *+-3$/(3-*-("$/!/&';$<+&$."#-"53$!'&$1!3&#$("$30'7&63$()$*+&$C?@A$%&%1&'3+-/$'&5!'#-"5$ %&%1&'3:$&B/&'-&",&$>-*+=$!"#$'&!,*-("$*(=$(0*3-#&$-"90&",&; Consensus Process: This position paper represents the consensus of the ad hoc Committee on Medical Examiner Independence, submitted to the Executive Committee and Board of Directors of NAME, and subject to comment and review by the membership. from the missions of law enforcement agencies), investigation be independent. Accurate investigation, examination, reporting, and testimony it is important that medicolegal death by forensic pathologists are important to determine the cause and manner of death of indi­ viduals who die under sudden, unexpected, or violent circumstances. These cases can be­ ,(%&$*+&$)(,03$()$/(2-*-,!2$('$2&5!2$/'&330'&$16$-"#-7-#0!23$('$().,&3$3&&8-"5$*($-"90&",&$*+&$ /!*+(2(5-3*:3$."#-"53;$<+-3$/'&330'&=$&7&"$-)$3&&%-"526$0"30,,&33)02$-"$!"$-"#-7-#0!2$,!3&=$ can introduce error, bias, and corruption into the medicolegal paper investigation reinforces process. the This principle that medical examiners, coroners and forensic 3+(02#$1&$!22(>&#$*($/&')('%$%&#-,(2&5!2$-"7&3*-5!*-("3$)'&&$()$*+&3&$-"90&",&3; pathologists tion affected their diagnostic decision­making. In 2009, the National Research Council of the National Academies published recommendations to strengthen the forensic sciences; they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This )(2%$5 *2%)6"0%.-%!4 "*.-10" !$4% .1-7% )*62"*0"% 2*&2"% $*5% 4)'(-2'% !"#$!%&"$'(%)*+",')#$')-*%-./0"1,%,(-2!&%-3"1$'"% and objective death investigations: A1.1 Medico- “Tocompetent promotethat state also Standards (1). death” The of manner and cause the of ment assess- medical objective and neutral promotes prosecutors.and investigation ment parallel The enforce- law from, independent but with, atively gal deathinvestigators“ of Association Medical Examiners (NAME) National state that medicole- the of Standards The ?)BCGHT *$#*#)"'$.8!*'!#*'0#-H+-,!#1",#!3-#0-1-'$-4#5'#!3*!# terference with a forensic pathologist who served - "G-,!.,'%'&#*#)"'G%)!%"'#0.-#!"#+,"$-).!",%*8#%' AEB4#FG-'#!3-#)".,!$#3*G-#C-%&3-0#%'#"'#!3-#%$$.-6# accreditation of standards recognized to ence adher- faithful by preserved is laboratory the of support to areintended "02'-1,9%-./0",%4(-,"%7),,)-*%'(","%!$;-1$'-1)",% cated within law enforcement agencies and pros- lo- being laboratories forensic accredited erly prop- in improper or suspect inherently nothing > !3*!# $!*!-0# *'0# "1()-$# +,"$-).!",$D# "1# !%"'#"1#1",-'$%)#8*?",*!",%-$#C%!3%'#!3-#*.$+%)-$# !",'-2$#;$$")%*!%"'#A7@;;B#0-1-'0-0#!3-#,-!-' ;! @%$!,%)!# 7*!%"'*8# !3-# ?2# +.?8%)*!%"'# ,-)-'!# -./0",: 31-,"02'-1,9% -1% enforcement $#"*0)",% law of control administrative the from facilities and laboratories forensic public removingof purpose the for )*8#=.,%$0%)!%"'$#> all - ,-)"//-'0-0#$.1()%-'!#1.'0%'&#!"#$!*!-#*'0#8" setting enforcement law '-% a -33-,"&% $,% ,"'')*#% ,0)"*')/0% $% )*% 0-*&20'"&% is science best The administrators. enforcement law of independently function should forensic scientists that means this Administratively, ted. commit- been indeed has act criminal a whether prosecute criminal suspects or even to determine to either efforts enforcement law of independent be should investigations forensic in conducted “80)"*')/0%$*&%7"&)0$!%$,,",,7"*'% states, ences $-*,)3#:".')%8#"1#!3-#7*!%"'*8#;)*0-/2#"1#<)% - 5'#,-$+"'$-#!"#!3-$-#+,-$$.,-$6#!3-#7*!%"'*8#9- !"#$%&'%()*'!#+,-$$.,-#!"#/"0%12#!3-%,#0%*&'"$-$4# exposed are pathologists forensic and coroners examiners, medical many goal, this of spite In ment agenciesandprosecutors. article is intended for personal the autonomy “the that and ” must investigate cooper- ” (2). 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