After someone dies, they are sent to the Examiner. This was such a depressing and plain building. Obviously the depressing part was that you know there's dead bodies in the building and many have been there before. People get very awkward and queasy when learning about death. It's something that most of us fear the most.
The tour of the Examiner was lead by Dr. Adams, who seemed very comfortable with death. He erased the uneasiness from my mind and helped focus on the workings and public records of his office (until I saw the dead body, more on that later). I think he's just been desensitized of emotion or shock of dead bodies because he's dealt with them for over 20 years.
He started to give us some interesting information on his office. His office doesn't examine every bodies that rolls in. There would be way too many to keep up with.
Dr. Adams talked about his job duties through statue 406.11, that gives him total jurisdiction in determining causes of death for anyone involved in criminal violence, suicide, poison, sudden death while in good health, in prison or under the full care of a doctor.
The Examiner must determine the cause of death and go to the site of the dead body to gather some evidence that may help them with gathering information on the body. However, A common theme throughout these Government funded establishments, there have been budget cuts. Some of the bodies found at night don't get the same attention they would during the day.
Something really needs to be done about all the budget cuts going on. I feel like a lot of money is being spent on insignificant things but others of more importance are being cut.
Unless it's under investigation, the autopsy reports are open to the public. The hospital and nursing records are not. The pictures on file of the body used to be public record until 2001 when Dale Earnhardt's wife got it passed that made them private. The bill was based off the fact that Earnhardt was a celebrity. I remember how much attention and how crazy the media got after he died on National Television.
There are two death certificates. If you're like me, you assumed there was only one. The
medical death certificate is private but the memorial death certificate is the one that's public record.
medical death certificate is private but the memorial death certificate is the one that's public record. None of the public records for the Examiner are online. Any record requests must be done upon at the actual office. I thought that was strange because it seems like you can do everything online.
And finally the lasting memory of the trip would have to be seeing the dead body during an autopsy. We are not allowed to see it but I think Dr. Adams made a mistake and let us in too early. We didn't get a great look at it, but enough that I know I never would like to see that again.
One last tidbit of information. I found out Billy Mays was examined at the Hillsborough County Medical Examiner. He had a substant in his system that in a bag may look like Oxyclean, but wasn't, I'll let you fill in the blanks.
I went to a public officials meeting today and was very disappointed. Check back later in the week for my take on the meeting.
Until next time, stay safe so you stay out of the Examiner's office.
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