Feb. 2, 2009

Decision on autopsies will have local effects

By Roy Mitchell

CENTRE — As of Jan. 19, the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences stopped the practice of transporting bodies to state forensics labs for autopsies. The burden of bringing cadavers for an autopsy at one of the state's three forensic science labs is now placed on the shoulders of local governments.

The reasoning behind the state's decision was simple: finances.

The Associated Press recently reported the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences must cut 10 percent from its budget, and that discontinuing the practice of transporting bodies for autopsy would save in the neighborhood of $400,000 annually.

“It's going to affect the state a lot. A lot of counties don't have the means of transporting bodies,” said Cherokee County Coroner Don Rogers. Some counties don't have coolers to keep the body in before the ride over there.”

For Rogers, “there” refers to Huntsville, the closest of the state's three forensic science laboratories.

How does the Alabama Department of Forensic Science's decision stand to affect Cherokee County? According to the county coroner and the office of District Attorney Mike O'Dell, Cherokee County won't carry the burden that some other counties will.

Rogers said Cherokee County does, in fact, have the means of transporting bodies to the forensics lab for autopsies.

“And I'm fortunate that the hospital in Centre lets me use their cooler.”

Autopsy decisions may appear moot in a rural county like Cherokee where criminal deaths are few and far between, yet the number of autopsies needed in Cherokee County is more than one might think. According to Rogers's estimate, O'Dell orders 20-25 autopsies per year.

According to Rogers, there are several general criteria for deeming the need for an autopsy. An obvious concern is when foul play is suspected. A second ground for autopsy is an even rarer occurrence in the Cherokee. A federal law, according to Rogers, states that any child under 16 passing away without a pre-existing illness is required to have an autopsy.

Other instances requiring an autopsy include if the death is unattended or happens under suspicious circumstances. Autopsies for some types of deaths require agreement.

“I'll get a call from the people on the scene, and we'll collaborate to make a decision,” O'Dell explained. “We always discuss them, and we make a decision from there.”

With the state's new rule against transporting bodies to crime labs, Rogers said the biggest inconvenience will be the time put in by county officials. Cherokee County only has two people available to transport bodies to Huntsville for an autopsy -- Rogers and Deputy Coroner Roderick Smith.

“The state doesn't autopsy on Saturdays or Sundays,” Rogers said. “If you get over there Monday morning, you may have five or six autopsies ahead of you. It may be Tuesday or Wednesday before they even get to you.”

O'Dell said a primary expense for Alabama counties is the gasoline.

“We're in the process of making arrangements of off-setting the gasoline cost,” he said.

With all 67 Alabama counties dealing with the new burdens of time lost for county officials and the cost of fuel, decisions on whether or not a body gets an autopsy could potentially have financial ramifications.

“There might be some autopsies that might not be done,” Rogers said.

O'Dell insisted that not ordering an autopsy in order to save money would definitely not be the case here in Cherokee County.

“That's not going to happen here,” he said. “I cannot imagine under any circumstances that we would not refrain from doing our legal responsibilities. If there is a nagging doubt, we're going to lean on the side of getting an autopsy. I don't want to be on “20/20” someday, telling some reporter that I didn't order an autopsy because we were low on funds.”

O'Dell pointed out that the state Department of Forensic Sciences has mandated the same restriction on transporting bodies a few years back, but it didn't last.

“I think this decision will be rescinded when the budget crunch subsides,” he said. “I think we will weather the storm as long as it doesn't last but a year or two.”