Medical Exams In Question Following Officer-Involved Deaths

MILWAUKEE,WI— The cause of death of a person in an officer-involved incident is typically determined by a coroner or medical examiner, who examines the cause of death and whether the police officer is responsible for the death and then submits findings in criminal and civil proceedings.

But some want to change who gets the final say in those medical reports.

When discrepancies arise between the report and the account of what occurred, the families of the victims often seek out second opinions on the cause of death.

The differences between the coroner and the second opinion have prompted questions about the accuracy and legitimacy of the findings.

Alderman Khalif J. Rainey wants the families' commissioned report to be the final authority on the death.

"I have sponsored legislation directing the Intergovernmental Relations Division of the Department of Administration to urge the state Legislature to amend s. 175.47 Wis. Stats to say that the official medical report that determines the cause of death of a person in an officer-involved incident be the report commissioned by the victim’s family,"Alderman Khalif J. Rainey wrote in a statement released Tuesday.

The legislation – Common Council file #200309 – is scheduled to be heard by the Judiciary and
Legislation Committee on Monday, October 26th during a virtual meeting. The October 26th meeting will start at 9 a.m. and will be televised live on the City Channel (channel 25 on Spectrum Cable and channel 99 on AT&T U-Verse in the City of Milwaukee) and via streaming video on the city website at city.milwaukee.gov/Channel25.

Co-sponsors on the legislation are Alderman Russell W. Stamper, II, Alderwoman Milele A. Coggs,
Alderwoman Nikiya Dodd, Alderwoman Chantia Lewis, and Alderman Ashanti Hamilton.

With the recent officer-involved death of George Floyd in Minneapolis and that of Joel Acevedo in
Milwaukee, as well as the officer-involved incident with Jacob Blake in Kenosha, Alderman Rainey said he is "strongly urging the Legislature to make these necessary changes to bring justice to the victims’ families and greater transparency and accountability to law enforcement officers."