Opinion: Threat of secrecy: Pa. coroners' records must stay public
November 24, 2010 | Filed in: Opinion
| Right to Know
Law | Open
records | Coroner
records | Pittsburgh
OPINION
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Just before legislators ended their lame-duck session, they slammed the door on public access to records of a key law enforcement officer: Pennsylvania's county coroners. Gov. Ed Rendell needs to pull out his veto pen to keep the change from becoming law.
The Pennsylvania State Coroners Association sought the revision, arguing against "indiscriminate inspection by the public and the media." The group favors keeping private all but the most basic information about the sudden, unexplained or violent deaths investigated by its members.
Currently, coroners -- but not Allegheny County's appointed medical examiner -- are required to file their records for the preceding year in January, with the county prothonotary's office. The documents then are available for "inspection of all persons interested therein." That's not ideal in terms of timing, but it's better than no access at all.
That key phrase about public inspection is deleted, however, by House Bill 2477, which passed the House and Senate. Instead, language in the state's open records law would take over, and that specifically shields from view autopsy reports and anything but the most basic information -- the name of the deceased and the cause and manner of death, such as a self-inflicted (manner) gunshot wound (cause).
The legislation does not apply to Allegheny County, where the public's recourse -- when a request for records is denied -- already is the state's open records law.
Coroners do have discretion to release more information but, if they don't want to, they no longer would have to. Coroners are not elected to be grief counselors, though, and their job is not to shield family members from potentially embarrassing or unsettling details when a loved one dies, especially by withholding important information from the public. For example, when a driver crashes into a tree, the public has a right to know if the cause was dangerous road conditions or too much alcohol in the person's body.
If the bill becomes law, it also would prevent Pennsylvanians from looking over their coroners' shoulders to make sure they are properly conducting the public's business.
If Gov. Rendell still believes in strong citizen access to public records, he will veto this bill.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10328/1105695-192.stm#ixzz170GNk8oe
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Just before legislators ended their lame-duck session, they slammed the door on public access to records of a key law enforcement officer: Pennsylvania's county coroners. Gov. Ed Rendell needs to pull out his veto pen to keep the change from becoming law.
The Pennsylvania State Coroners Association sought the revision, arguing against "indiscriminate inspection by the public and the media." The group favors keeping private all but the most basic information about the sudden, unexplained or violent deaths investigated by its members.
Currently, coroners -- but not Allegheny County's appointed medical examiner -- are required to file their records for the preceding year in January, with the county prothonotary's office. The documents then are available for "inspection of all persons interested therein." That's not ideal in terms of timing, but it's better than no access at all.
That key phrase about public inspection is deleted, however, by House Bill 2477, which passed the House and Senate. Instead, language in the state's open records law would take over, and that specifically shields from view autopsy reports and anything but the most basic information -- the name of the deceased and the cause and manner of death, such as a self-inflicted (manner) gunshot wound (cause).
The legislation does not apply to Allegheny County, where the public's recourse -- when a request for records is denied -- already is the state's open records law.
Coroners do have discretion to release more information but, if they don't want to, they no longer would have to. Coroners are not elected to be grief counselors, though, and their job is not to shield family members from potentially embarrassing or unsettling details when a loved one dies, especially by withholding important information from the public. For example, when a driver crashes into a tree, the public has a right to know if the cause was dangerous road conditions or too much alcohol in the person's body.
If the bill becomes law, it also would prevent Pennsylvanians from looking over their coroners' shoulders to make sure they are properly conducting the public's business.
If Gov. Rendell still believes in strong citizen access to public records, he will veto this bill.
Read more: http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/10328/1105695-192.stm#ixzz170GNk8oe