Getting it Right
PICTURED ABOVE
Madison County Coroner Jimmy Cornelison emphasized the importance of professionalism and a willingness to communicate with others as the most important things new coroners should remember. (Photo by Jim Robertson)
When it comes to death investigations, one will always find the coroner’s office and law enforcement on the scene. Both sworn agencies play integral roles, but very different responsibilities. The two must find a way to work together for the common good. To that goal, coroners across the state are paving the way as collaborative investigative bodies and as a vital resource in catching criminals.
Holding Their Own
It’s well known that a coroner’s duties include pronouncing deaths, notifying families and determining manner and cause. However, according to longtime coroners Jimmy Pollard, of Henry County, and Jimmy Cornelison, of Madison County, each newly elected into the position must decide what kind of coroner they want to be.
“Some coroners out there say (to police), ‘When you get through with your investigation, let me know, and I’ll come pick up the body,’” said Pollard, who also serves as the Kentucky Coroners Association consultant liaison. “They don’t want to be involved in the investigation, or they will go to the scene and not really interject themselves into the investigation. We have others who want to be there and work every step. I’m that way. That’s the part of the job that I like, the investigation part and coming up with the result.”
Longtime Henry County Coroner Jimmy Pollard (pictured with Henry County Sheriff Keith Perry) speaks with local law enforcement daily. Pollard said when new coroners come into office they should schedule time to meet up with law enforcement so each can discuss expectations. (Photo by Jim Robertson)
Cornelison noted that he too has always been hands on, a reason both he and Pollard are members of the Kentucky Mass Causality Team that has assisted in tragedies such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the crash of Comair Flight 5191 in 2006.
More Eyes Makes Wise Guys
According to Richmond Police Major Rodney Tudor working with an experienced coroner can be a huge benefit to a department.
Richmond Police Major Rodney Tudor (pictured prior to his recent promotion) said that working with an experienced coroner can benefit a police department as they bring a different bank of knowledge and extra set of eyes. (Photo by Jim Robertson)
“We are always taking guidance from (Cornelison), and he has always been able to provide input that maybe we don’t understand or see from our perspective because we are (busy) collecting evidence or interviewing people,” said Tudor. “When it comes to manner of death or what he thinks caused it, things like that, it’s crucial (to listen) because he knows that stuff and shares (that knowledge) with us … he can show up at a scene and can tell you things that someone else might not see right off.”
In Henry County, assisting at a death scene can take multiple forms, from helping law enforcement go through an individual’s personal effects in search of receipts to nail down a timeline of events to photographing and sharing pictures with departments for their investigation.
A Perfect Example
For Cornelison, one example of working with law enforcement to reach a greater good is the story of Madison Man.
Madison Man, as he has come to be known, was a deceased John Doe found at Davis Hollow in Berea in 1993, when Cornelison was still a deputy coroner. The dead man was found with no identification, a bag over his head and both hands were missing. The medical examiner presumed at the time that Madison Man’s death had been a suicide and wild animals had eaten his hands. However, the circumstance of the unidentified man’s death did not sit well with Cornelison.
Shortly after Cornelison’s successful election as coroner, Kentucky State Police and Cornelison’s coroner’s office reopened the case with troopers taking trips out of state to seek information. The newly elected coroner exhumed the body of the long-time John Doe. Re-examination at the State Medical Examiner’s Office determined that the man’s death had been a homicide. The missing man’s relatives identified him through a forensic sketch placed on doenetwork.us and were able to put a piece of their loved one’s story to rest due to the collaborative efforts by both KSP and the coroner’s office.
A Joint Path
Law states that a coroner is in charge of the body at a death scene. However, according to Cornelison, if a coroner comes in with that attitude, they are an idiot.
“You take detectives who have been detectives for 10 years, and they’ve got all the resources in the world, why would (a coroner) go in there and throw their chest out and make everybody mad,” he said. “Then you never solve anything. It’s a give and take….when you act like a professional organization, you’ll be treated like one. Period. Simple as that.”
Establishing communication early is the biggest step coroners can take to have a long and productive working relationship with their local law enforcement, whether that means going out for a cup of coffee or just stopping in to say hi.
“Stay in communication with each other regardless of whether you have a case together or not,” advised Pollard, adding he visits with his county’s sheriff nearly every morning. “If you have an issue, address it. Just do it respectfully.”
Discussions away from the scene of a crime can allow both coroners and law enforcement to discuss what they need to accomplish their job. For coroners this can be things like making sure nothing on or around the body is moved before their arrival, and that it is the coroners’ job to notify families.
Regardless, both sides must always leave egos at the door, said Tudor.
“You’ve got to work together for a positive outcome,” he said. “In my opinion, you can’t get (to a scene) and split the investigation into two different investigations. If you can work it as one investigation together, you’re going to be more apt to get a positive outcome than if we are working on our side and they’re working on their side and there is no communication. That doesn’t do anyone any justice.”
Recently the Department of Criminal Justice training has revamped course offerings for coroners, including holding trainings in Richmond. According to Coroners Training Coordinator Rick McMahan, updated offerings include firearms, social media and more. For course listings and to enroll, coroners can visit the ACADIS Portal from the docjt.com homepage.
