Tag Archives: Medical examiner

What Is A Coroner And What Does Their Work Entail?

An interview with Ken Holmes, former Coroner for Marin County, California, Part One

Today SevenPonds speaks with Ken Holmes. Originally from Fresno, CA, Ken began working with the Marin County Coroner’s Office as a death investigator in 1975. He worked there for 36 years, eventually serving as the elected coroner for 12 years. … Continue reading

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How Can a Family Best Work with a Coroner or Medical Examiner? Interview with Judy Melinek, Part Two

Working with a professional when an autopsy is required

Today, SevenPonds completes our interview with Judy Melinek, M.D., a forensic pathologist who does autopsies for the Alameda County Sheriff Coroner’s Office in California. (Read part one of the interview here.) Dr. Melinek has a bachelor’s degree from Harvard and … Continue reading

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How Can a Family Best Work with a Coroner or Medical Examiner? Interview with Judy Melinek, Part One

A medical examiner shares Information about death investigations

Today, SevenPonds speaks with Judy Melinek, M.D., a forensic pathologist who does autopsies for the Alameda County Sheriff Coroner’s Office in California. Dr. Melinek has a bachelor’s degree from Harvard and medical degree from the University of California, Los Angeles. She … Continue reading

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What Happens When You Die Alone in New York?

Investigators unravel the mystery of George Bell's life

You might be surprised to hear that dying alone isn’t an entirely uncommon event in New York City. Its dense population attracts socialites as much as it does those who want to be left alone in complete anonymity, becoming just … Continue reading

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Working Stiff: Two Years, 262 Bodies, and the Making of a Medical Examiner by Judy Melinek, M.D. and T.J. Mitchell

Judy Melinek shares how her career as a pathologist has colored her understanding of life and death

Judy Melinek’s Working Stiff is the kind of memoir that reads like a season of the TV show “CSI”. In her book, she writes how her experience as a forensic pathologist has led her to uncover murder plots, medical accidents … Continue reading

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Corruption and Incompetence in the Coroner’s Office

Many coroners do not provide quality end of life investigation

Massively controversial but often overlooked is the institution of the coroner. Inherited from Great Britain back in colonial days, the position originated as the King’s investigator who kept track of deaths and, more importantly, collected some last death taxes. Today … Continue reading

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