Detroit Today: How staffing shortages at the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office have led to broader issues
A $1 million civil rights claim against the office accuses it of padding its numbers.
Wayne County Medical Examiner's Office
When someone dies under mysterious circumstances, that death is investigated by a medical examiner. In Detroit, that work is left up to the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office, which has a high volume of work in just one year.
Recently, the families of two shooting victims in Detroit filed a $1 million civil rights claim against the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office. It involves homicide declarations for individuals who died by gunfire that were overturned and reclassified as suicides. WDET’s Eli Newman reported on the story, and he spoke with Detroit Today host Stephen Henderson about what he found.
“The theory that both of these families and the attorney feel that is happening is that these deaths are being reclassified to change broader statistics — to get rid of some homicides.” — Eli Newman, WDET reporter
Listen: How staffing shortages at the Wayne County Medical Examiner’s Office have led to broader issues
Guest
Eli Newman is a reporter and producer for 101.9 WDET, covering breaking news, politics and community affairs. He says a lawsuit was filed because the families allege that the medical examiner’s office is trying to improve its numbers.
“The theory that both of these families and the attorney feel that is happening is that these deaths are being reclassified to change broader statistics — to get rid of some homicides,” says Newman.
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