Opinion: Unacceptable degree of secrecy from Pa. coroners
November 27, 2010 | Filed in: Opinion
| Open
records | Right to Know
Law | Coroner
records | Franklin
Co.
OPINION
By Matthew Major
(Chambersburg) Public Opinion opinion editor
We find it interesting -- and somewhat darkly humorous -- that Pennsylvania's coroners seem a bit confused as to the nature of their mandate.
Given their endless talk of safeguarding the feelings of bereaved families, it's almost like they wanted to be psychologists, instead of doctors, before settling for the most influential medical career that doesn't require a medical degree or professional standards of conduct.
But let's face it, they're not confused, and this is no laughing matter.
That profoundly disingenuous justification is being used, once again, to conceal virtually all information about suspicious and unattended deaths in our communities. Even worse, the state General Assembly codified this emotional silliness into a bill that now awaits Gov. Ed Rendell's signature.
That bill would allow coroners to hide all information about a death except the name of the deceased and the cause and manner or death. The bill also enables coroners to sit on that scant information until a month after the end of the calendar year in which a death occurred.
Rendell should veto this bill immediately.
Now, we know that justifying the public release of comprehensive coroner information is akin to explaining rock and roll to a chicken. But this matter goes far beyond those who naturally concern themselves most with keeping their name out of the news.
As far as we're concerned, this issue primarily about removing accountability from elected officials. Period. End of story.
Essentially, if that bill comes to define the extent of coroners' obligations to the public, there will be no way to determine accurately whether they are competently doing the job we elect and pay them to do.
That's why they're not really confused, they just want to avoid any possibility of being second-guessed and challenged on the quality of their work. From a bigger picture perspective, the bill also represents an incremental weakening of Pennsylvania's fledgling Open Records law.
And that's why Rendell must put a stop to this nonsense.
By Matthew Major
(Chambersburg) Public Opinion opinion editor
We find it interesting -- and somewhat darkly humorous -- that Pennsylvania's coroners seem a bit confused as to the nature of their mandate.
Given their endless talk of safeguarding the feelings of bereaved families, it's almost like they wanted to be psychologists, instead of doctors, before settling for the most influential medical career that doesn't require a medical degree or professional standards of conduct.
But let's face it, they're not confused, and this is no laughing matter.
That profoundly disingenuous justification is being used, once again, to conceal virtually all information about suspicious and unattended deaths in our communities. Even worse, the state General Assembly codified this emotional silliness into a bill that now awaits Gov. Ed Rendell's signature.
That bill would allow coroners to hide all information about a death except the name of the deceased and the cause and manner or death. The bill also enables coroners to sit on that scant information until a month after the end of the calendar year in which a death occurred.
Rendell should veto this bill immediately.
Now, we know that justifying the public release of comprehensive coroner information is akin to explaining rock and roll to a chicken. But this matter goes far beyond those who naturally concern themselves most with keeping their name out of the news.
As far as we're concerned, this issue primarily about removing accountability from elected officials. Period. End of story.
Essentially, if that bill comes to define the extent of coroners' obligations to the public, there will be no way to determine accurately whether they are competently doing the job we elect and pay them to do.
That's why they're not really confused, they just want to avoid any possibility of being second-guessed and challenged on the quality of their work. From a bigger picture perspective, the bill also represents an incremental weakening of Pennsylvania's fledgling Open Records law.
And that's why Rendell must put a stop to this nonsense.