Crime Labs

The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner of the Commonwealth of Virginia began in 1946. Virginia became one of the first states to institute a statewide medical examiner system. During that year, instead of having the Office of Coroner's Physician, a Chief Medical Examiner was appointed by the General Assembly of Virginia. In 1950, after four years, the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner became a strong part of the Virginia Department of Health.

When an autopsy is required, it I conducted in one of four district offices. Fairfax, Norfolk, Richmond or Roanoke. Each district is staffed by board certified forensic pathologists, death investigators, clerical and morgue personnel. The Forensic Pathologist concludes the diagnosis of the disease by examining certain tissues and placids through the deceased body. The death investigator is required to take a deeper look into the deceased death through intense investigating of the crime scene. The clerical personnel is important because they answer the office phones and faxes and are in charge of filing certain important paperwork. Last but not least, the morgue personnel is responsible for preparing the deceased body for autopsy.

There are a lot of services offered within this particular Medical Examiner's Office. In Virginia, medical examiners conduct a medico legal death investigation serving s the principal case investigator. The office of the Chief Medical Examiner supports more than 230 local medical examiners, who receive the initial notification of death. They examine and sign the certificate of death as well.

Medical Examiners have another very important role as well. They are committed to public safety and public health. In order to promote public safety, they testify to their findings in civil and even criminal courts throughout the Commonwealth. They promote public health through their investigations of health that may present a hazard to Virginia's citizens, such as new and emerging infections.

I think that the Medical Examiner's Office is definitely an independent agency, but they also have a duty to Law Enforcement Agencies. If a medical examiner is performing an autopsy on a death that is being investigated, such as a murder, it is their duty to provide the truth of their findings, not only to Law Enforcement Agencies but to the court system as well. The Medical Examiners Office can be considered as an independent agency because