So maybe my expectations of seeing this were a little over the top, I admit, but Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Vernard Adams' presence still created the same dark feeling that I was afraid would bring up my lunch.
Since all I knew was the basics-medical examiners do autopsies-this was a great opportunity to get into the dirt with what the job really entails. Aside from determining the cause of death whenever someone dies, Dr. Vern is also responsible for conducting meetings with families and attorneys to discuss documents like the autopsy report and the cause of death, which is not public information. He also keeps track of all correspondents from attorneys, which are all public.
Something interesting that Dr. Vern mentioned was the importance of understanding that there are two different kinds of Death Certificates:
The first contains the circumstance of a death and the details of whether the death was accidental, natural, or violent for example.
The second kind of death certificate doesn't have these details but can still be used to prove death for purposes such as closing a bank account.
He is also able to do HIV testing without asking for permission and sends out investigators for criminal investigation scenes where a death has occurred. None of these records are public either.
The medical examiner is also responsible for all photos and video tapes kept on file for the deceased and can be charged with a felony if any of these documents are made public, due to the Earnhardt Act. Dr. Vern was very informative when it came to sharing the ins and outs of the job but it was time for the tour...
After visiting the extraction lab where specimens are mixed and tested for substances such as poison, drugs, alcohol or anything out of the ordinary, it was off to the autopsy lab.
Dr. Vern may have made the mistake of letting us in too soon but lucky for us, we got a quick glimpse of an autopsy in progress. Nothing as gruesome as my imagination may have planned for, but it was something I had never seen.
Overall, great experience with a professional who loves his job, making Dr. Vern the darkest doctor I've ever met.
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