California Bill Would Separate Coroner, Sheriff Offices

SACRAMENTO (CBS13) — A new state bill attempting to give more credibility to officer-involved shooting investigations would split the offices of coroner and sheriff.

In most California counties, the coroner is also an elected sheriff. But a state senator says that's a conflict of interest.

And he says that became very clear when a local sheriff was recently accused of trying to intervene in death investigations.

"We saw this happen in San Joaquin County where there was an autopsy done, where the forensic pathologist stated it was most likely a homicide, but the sheriff coroner's report said that was an accident," said state Sen. Richard Pan (D-Sacramento).

Dr. Bennet Omalu, the county's chief forensic pathologist resigned, accusing San Joaquin County Sheriff and Coroner Steve Moore of trying to change autopsy findings in shootings involving his officers.

The sheriff denied doing anything wrong. Now Omalu is joining Pan, to overhaul the system.

"SB1303 moves California into the modern age by establishing independent medical examiner systems," said Pan.

Pan's bill would require all coroners in the state to be physicians who work independently of county sheriff's offices.

But Moore is challenging the changes. He's opposing the bill on behalf of the California Sheriff's Association, where he serves as president.

In a letter to Dr. Pan, the association says, in part: "Existing law already permit counties to abolish the office of the corner and replace it with a medical examiner ... separating to these offices will remove efficiencies and increase county cost unnecessarily."

Pan argues the only cost comes in the form of mistrust.

That's what drove the family of Stephon Clark to hire an independent pathologist. They picked Dr. Omalu. His autopsy found Clark was shot six times in the back. The county report found officers shot the 22-year-old 3 times in the back when they mistook his cellphone for a gun.

The conflicting autopsy reports are now being considered in another high profile shooting investigation of a young black man.

"We're trying to eliminate the conflict of interest," said Pan.

Pan's bill will go to appropriations where lawmakers will analyze any potential costs.

As for the San Joaquin County Sheriff's opposition to the bill, CBS13 tried to speak with him about that. But his association's media team referred us to that letter of opposition written to Pan's office.