New Orleans coroner's office found liable in civil trial over unidentified body

Orleans Parish Coroner Dwight McKenna's office violated legal duty, judge rules

In a Friday afternoon ruling, Judge Marissa Hutabarat said the coroner violated its legal duty by failing to identify 42-year-old Justin Smith, who died of a drug overdose in June 2023. Smith’s body was left unidentified in the morgue for 25 days while his father, Sidney Smith, searched for his son. Hutabarat awarded $67,500 in damages to Smith.

New Orleans coroner's office found liable in civil trial over unidentified body

Sidney Smith alleged that the coroner failed to identify his son Justin's body for nearly a month. Smith's son died in 2023.