Gov. Moore Signs Order to Reform in-Custody Death Investigations in Maryland

Gov. Moore signs order to reform in-custody death investigations in Maryland

Maryland Gov. Wes Moore signed an executive order to reform in-custody restraint-related death investigations following an audit that exposed serious failures within the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. The order establishes a task force, directs case reviews, and advances oversight and transparency to rebuild public trust and ensure accountability.

Findings of Independent Audit of the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner Audit Identifies Significant Misclassifications of Deaths, Calls for Review of Cases and Systemic Reforms

Attorney General Anthony G. Brown announced the findings of the Office of the Attorney General’s independent audit of the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME). The 70-page report found that in more than half of the cases reviewed, the case reviewers disagreed with the OCME’s original determination of manner of death. The audit identified 36 deaths originally classified as undetermined, accidental, or natural that the panel conclu…

Governor Moore Signs Executive Order to Support Office of the Chief Medical Examiner Audit Findings in In-Custody Restraint-Related Death Investigations

Governor Wes Moore signed an executive order to improve accountability and transparency in the conduct of in-custody restraint-related death investigations following the release of audit findings related to the investigation of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner from 2003-2019. Governor Moore announced that one of the elements of the executive order includes the creation of a new Maryland task force on in-custody restraint-related death in…

87 misclassified homicide cases prompt executive order from Gov. Wes Moore

The results of a four-year audit into the practices of Maryland’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) will set a precedent for comprehensive reform on how deaths are determined. Findings from the first-of-its-kind review were announced Thursday (May 15), during a press conference led by Governor Wes Moore, Attorney General Anthony Brown, and Dr. Jeff Kukucka, a Towson University professor and decision scientist who served as an audit cas…