The Coroners Revolt

Mississippi coroners attempt to defy a ban on disgraced medical examiner Steven Hayne

Radley Balko | August 3, 2009

(Page 2 of 2)

When forensics scandals have hit other states, public officials have generally expressed some embarrassment, followed by promises to both investigate the extent of the damage and to implement reforms to prevent similar incidents in the future. The dominant sentiment among Mississippi officials the last few years hasn't been embarrassment, but defiance. As more and more has come to light about the harm Hayne may have inflicted on the state's criminal and civil justice systems, the state has done only the minimum required to offset the mounting pressure. Now, coroners and prosecutors are trying to undo even that.

"This is really outrageous," said Eric Ferrero, a spokesman for the New York Innocence Project. That organization, along with the Mississippi Innocence Project, worked with local attorneys to win last year's DNA exonerations, and has filed a complaint seeking to revoke Hayne's medical license. Hayne is now suing them for defamation. "Our work has shown that Hayne clearly contributed to at least two wrongful convictions, and that he's given misleading testimony in many others," Ferrero says. "You'd think that would raise concerns among coroners and prosecutors in Mississippi. They don't seem to care."

Radley Balko is a senior editor for Reason.

Comments

Pingback| 11.30.09 @ 1:45PM

Dem Thievin’ Blogs | The Agitator links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…decades. Take note, Gerson: That’s when the paper starting stealing my scoops. Me, a web-based reporter working on a relatively limited budget. Like this story (covered by the paper a week later ). And this one (covered by the paper weeks later here). Oh, and that well-funded traditional media giant CNN did the same thing. I believe I’ve told this story before, but the New York Times indirectly reported on…

Pingback| 12.9.09 @ 12:49PM

A Tale of Two Forensic Scandals: Ontario vs. Mississippi | The Agitator links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…did buckle to public pressure and finally fire Hayne last year, but as I reported earlier this year, now faces an effort by the state’s coroners, assisted by Mississippi Attorney General Jim Hood, to bring him back. There are also two men currently on death row in Mississippi for murdering children in their care where, like Smith’s, Hayne’s testimony was critical to securing their convictions. In both…

Pingback| 3.12.10 @ 12:21PM

NMissCommentor » Jim Hood comes out against having qualified forensic pathologists links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…examiners are not subject to the authority of the state medical examiner and therefore didn’t have to qualify by being on the list of qualified pathologists. This effort was the subject of an excellent article by Radley Balko at Reason, and was virtually ignored in Mississippi media (except for some parts of the blogosphere). I’ll interject here that the hypothetical doctor apparently didn’t have…

Pingback| 3.12.10 @ 1:21PM

Mississippi AG Jim Hood Still Actively Supporting Steven Hayne | The Agitator links to this page. Here’s an excerpt:

…unanimously passed a bill that would require anyone hired to do an autopsy by one of the state’s counties be certified in forensic pathology by the American Board of Pathology. The bill was a reaction to the news that several Mississippi counties were attempting to resurrect an old state law to bring back controversial medical examiner Steven Hayne, who isn’t board certified. The bill now heads to the…

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