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submitted 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago) by FlyingSquid@lemmy.world to c/mildlyinteresting@lemmy.world
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[-] moistclump@lemmy.world 17 points 5 months ago

Please forgive my ignorant Canadian self… Does America still elect coroners? Why are they elected positions? Are people… like… campaigning as wanna be local coroners?

Isn’t that like electing a city accountant or local doctor?

[-] JustZ@lemmy.world 11 points 5 months ago* (last edited 5 months ago)

I just heard a bit about this in a commentary on the Lizzie Borden case, which I don't think involved an elected medical examiner, I can't remember that, but they mentioned some places had elected medical exaiminers, that back in the day it could be more of a publicly influential position. Cause of death was way, way more subjective than it is today, and local fortunes and family legacies could be riding on the determination, which was the case in the Lizzie Borden matter.

I recall a case in a small town where the elected coroner was like the mayor's brother and he didn't have any experience. The sheriff was also the mayor's best friend. And let's just say a murder happened and it was incredibly suspicious.

[-] ShepherdPie@midwest.social 4 points 5 months ago

I believe in some locales they do but in my area we don't.

This points out the difference between coroners and medical examiners and seems like states/counties use one or the other https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK221913/

this post was submitted on 28 May 2024
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