Full Coverage: The Times’ investigation into how companies that harvest body parts upend death investigations
Companies that harvest human organs, bones and other parts have moved into government morgues across the country to gain access to more bodies. In some cases, procurement teams are taking body parts before coroners are able to conduct an autopsy, even in the midst of sensitive investigations such as possible homicides. The procurement companies say there has never been a case in which a death investigation has been harmed by the procurement of body parts. Yet, The Times found more than two dozen cases in which investigations were complicated or upended by procurement, in just two Southern California morgues.
The Times found a rising number of death investigations across the country were complicated or upended after transplantable body parts were taken before a coroner’s autopsy.
How firms helped rewrite a law to make it difficult for coroners to stop them from harvesting body parts.
The Times found dozens of cases in which autopsy investigations were hindered or delayed by the procurement of tissues or organs — something the industry claims never happens.
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Executives coached coroners on how to keep body parts harvesting records secret
Los Angeles Times reporters found two dozen cases in which a death investigation was harmed by the procurement of body parts.
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L.A. County supervisors order an in-depth report on body part procurement in the morgue after Times investigation.
In internal complaints, emails and other documents, pathologists, investigators and other coroner employees detailed how procurement interfered with their work.
A company that procures body parts from the deceased in the Los Angeles County morgue will begin preserving evidence in death investigations by taking photos of bodies, the county’s chief medical examiner-coroner told the board of supervisors Tuesday.
