The decision to retain the current Will County Coroner’s Office or transition to a Medical Examiners Office to handle death investigations continued to heat up Thursday during a Will County Board Committee As A Whole meeting in Joliet.
Renowned pathologist Dr. Michael Baden, former chief medical examiner for New York City, made a presentation to the Will County Board this morning that included sharp criticism among board members in support of, and against, the notion the County Coroner’s Office should be eliminated and replaced with a Medical Examiner’s Office.
Baden, who was invited to make the presentation by Ann Dralle, R-District 3, said both forms of office have positive value, but said medical examiners are trained doctors with up to 12 years training as forensic pathologists.
“Both have their pros. Coroners do a good job dealing with families (over deaths) and can be trained, but they don’t have the 12 years of training and experience forensic pathologists have,” he said.
Will County Coroner Patrick O’Neil, whose office was in charge of the investigation into the death of Kathleen Savio, Drew Peterson’s third wife, said he believes the Coroner’s Office “provides as good a service as a medical examiner at less cost.”
The board is considering seeking a referendum to place on the ballot the issue of creating a medical examiner’s office to replace the coroner’s office.
Dralle said she contacted Baden to make a presentation because of his familiarity with both types of death investigation offices, and his experience in Will County from providing an opinion on Savio’s death after a second autopsy was performed by the Coroner’s Office in November, 2007.
Dr. Larry Blum conducted the autopsy for the Coroner’s Office, and Baden attended. Later both Baden and the Coroner’s Office said the death was a homicide.
During a question-and-answer session John Anderson, D-District 1, peppered Baden with questions about his qualifications and his history as a paid expert witness before James Moustis, chairman of the committee, told Anderson his questioning was out of order.
“I am not going to let you cross-examine Dr. Baden,” Moustis said.
Baden said he was not being compensated for appearing, other than $450 to cover the cost of his travel to Illinois.
Bolingbrook Police Chief Ray McGury, who attended the meeting, said he had no particular preference regarding the type of office for investigating deaths, saying “they both have value.”
No firm budget figures were provided suggesting what it would cost to move to a medical examiner’s office, athough Baden said the salary of a chief medical examiner to run the office could be in excess of $200,000 annually.
The issue is expected to come up again at a future Executive Committee meeting before the board decides whether or not to take the issue to voters.
Bolingbrook, IL —
