M.E. Incompetence Hides Murder
- Last June, Urooj Khan literally jumped for joy as he stood in a Far North Side 7-Eleven, having just learned he held a $1 million-winning instant lottery ticket.
Less than a month later, Khan, 46, died at his West Rogers Park home — of apparent hardening of the arteries. But now, Khan’s death has been reclassified as a homicide, and investigators say he died from cyanide poisoning.
Investigators are moving toward exhuming Khan’s body for further tests, Cook County Chief Medical Examiner Stephen J. Cina said Monday.
“That seems to be the way things are heading,” Cina said. “Depending on the condition of the body, we may be able to document the extent of any pre-existing conditions and do additional toxicological testing on other specimens.”
- The Cook County Medical Examiner’s office performed a visual exam after Khan’s death, but did not conduct an autopsy, ruling his death to be the result of natural causes.
“He did not have any obvious trauma. The initial investigation didn’t suggest anything suspicious about his death,” Cook County Medical Examiner Dr. Stephen Cina said Monday.
But days after Khan died at St. Francis Hospital in Evanston, a relative called the medical examiner’s office, saying something didn’t add up.
“They just felt this didn’t seem likely, that it didn’t seem like it could have been a natural to them, and they just wanted us to look a little harder,” he said. “In forensics, you have to have an open mind, and when additional information comes to light, you have to be willing to revisit cases.”
So a new autopsy was ordered, and toxicology tests revealed a new cause of death: homicide by cyanide.
“Life’s not like CSI. Sometimes there’s not a smoking gun that leads us immediately toward the perfect conclusion,” Cina said.
Yeah, but a standard toxicology screen most likely would have caught this. Is the Cook County Medical Examiner's Office shortcutting (or shortchanging) autopsies in the name of saving money? Shouldn't this question be asked somewhere along the line?
Old timers might recall the murderer of Kitty Genovese, Winston Moseley, confessed to two other rape/murders after being pinched for the Genovese killing. He claimed to have shot Annie Mae Johnson six times in the stomach during the attack, but the medical examiner in New York listed the cause of death as a "stabbing with a screwdriver." Moseley insisted he shot Johnson, the body was exhumed and a x-ray of the deceased located numerous metal objects in her torso that proved to be bullets fired by Moseley. After that scandal, x-rays of the deceased became standard operating procedure in murder cases.
In light of the recent Medical Examiner scandals, it would be easy to believe that any number of "death investigations" were/are/shall be misclassified due to incompetence and/or political expediency. Why someone doesn't ask these questions is another mystery.
Old timers might recall the murderer of Kitty Genovese, Winston Moseley, confessed to two other rape/murders after being pinched for the Genovese killing. He claimed to have shot Annie Mae Johnson six times in the stomach during the attack, but the medical examiner in New York listed the cause of death as a "stabbing with a screwdriver." Moseley insisted he shot Johnson, the body was exhumed and a x-ray of the deceased located numerous metal objects in her torso that proved to be bullets fired by Moseley. After that scandal, x-rays of the deceased became standard operating procedure in murder cases.
In light of the recent Medical Examiner scandals, it would be easy to believe that any number of "death investigations" were/are/shall be misclassified due to incompetence and/or political expediency. Why someone doesn't ask these questions is another mystery.
Labels: scandals
posted by SCC at 12:01 AM
56 Comments:
Channel 2 also said there was "only one" murder by poisoning last year.
How would the police/ME know there's been only one, if they didn't even do a toxicology on THIS case?
This incident was almost like something you'd see on TV.
rb
(Ot) looks like with help of the. Blog a dedicated coppers calling and writing, letter received from Eddie Burke that he junkyard that was to be operating at 6200 west 51st in the village of forest view is not being done YET! Lets keep the pressure up,we don't need this shit here,more criminals "passing through" stealing more and more break ins! Thanks to all who helped and called! The village of forest view says now "they had no idea a junkyard was being proposed there! Yep ok Chicago ,style politics! Until "the envelope please" is presented to a slush fund for the elected we are ok! Lets try to keep on areas the best we can as long as we are stuck living in this city.
On another note thanks to the 3rd watch beat 811 and the 10 sector cars for all the car stops,the blue lights and the assholes walking and driving around it is nice to see you at least letting them know you car about the home front and taxpayers! THANKYOU!
So is this one added to 2012 for 507, or are we addind in to this year's tally?
If you're found dead in Englewood and there are bullet holes in the body it's only natural.
Sooooo you're saying it's 514 for 2012??
I read the story and he was going to put some of the money into his business and donate some to a children's hospital. It appears that good Indian food someone cooked for him had more then curry powder to spice it up.
Wow SCC, awful harsh on these guys. Should they be testing for lead poisoning on gunshot wound victims?! HOW DARE YOU SIR!
Yes, but if your mind is too open you can end up like the guy who did Brietbart's exam in L.A.
If you work for the county you are a political creature and forgetting that can be hazardus to your health.
Why does the M.E. even bother making a death an examiners case if they're not going to look into the cause of death?
When you need an Example of how to NOT DO Something properly, you can ALWAYS couny on good old Crook County, to provide it.
No mystery at all. Dirty Chicago politics is at the bottom of this. Only a talentless shit would have to use a phone call to get a job. The bottom of the barrel is what you'll get for talent when you leave appointments to scum bag Chicago politicians.
People should get used to this third world service. It's what they voted for. They chose socialism over leading the world. How's that social justice working out for you?
The Chicago Media are lapdogs for the politicians.
Hardening of the arteries at 48???? Seriously?
where Toni Preckwinkle? Probably blaming Reagan for this too ...
(remember she blamed Reagan's war on drugs for all the innocent put in her county jail?)
I know I'm two million years old, but in the 1960's thru 1990's, an full autopsy was required in all such deaths????no more, what's up with that.......Holy Crap Batman, time to go back to Chicago and get even......lol
JA 004,
You vote for piss poor service, you get piss poor service. Good job taxpayers.
Anonymous said...
Yes, but if your mind is too open you can end up like the guy who did Brietbart's exam in L.A.
If you work for the county you are a political creature and forgetting that can be hazardus to your health.
1/08/2013 01:20:00 AM
???
Is the county shortcutting autopsies to cut costs? Of course they are and have been for years. And this comes as some kind of watergate news flash to you? Wake up. The county is broke, and what better place to cut costs than a morgue where the unclaimed bodies stack up like cordwood. And here's another news flash for you. In Chicago and Cook county, people are getting away with murder every day, so save the righteous indignation for another cause.
I thought M.E.s were trained to know all kinds of things, like the smell of almonds coming from the body that he apparently missed if cynaide was used. Guess I just watched too much Quincy.
Trying to keep the City murder numbers down!
illinois has the most shop owners in the usa that always seem to win these big payouts. seems a little weird wait this is chicago - its normal. this was on a show how the lottery ruined my life.
What new evidence came to light; the family member thinking it just didn't seem right? Most 46 year olds don't die of, "natural causes." Previously, if some one over 50 died and he wasn't under doctor's care or being treated for a known illness, then an autopsy was always performed. Part of the autopsy is toxicology screening. Without tox reports, you'd never know why the young person just keeled over. Overdoses don't leave obvious marks just like poisoning doesn't. Incompetence or a new way of reclassifying homicides?
I truly believe that there are daily back channel conversations being had between Rahm and or his people and Preckwinkle and or her people with the new ME, Dr. CINA. I believe that these conversations are being held in order to prevent the number of murders being actually higher than the number that we truly endure each year.
Have you ever seen these so called medical examiner's conduct an autopsy, it's like watching a butcher cut up a side of beef, although the butcher actually has a goal to get the finest cuts, and the "cutter" is just plodding along body after body.
And if you are a detective assigned to a case and appear at one of these jokes of an autopsy, the ME's seem to be offender that you are impeding on their sacred ground. What's the matter Doc, afraid that the truth will come out and you might actually be held accountable? But once you are there they have all sorts of questions about the reason that the hunk of meat is on their table. Then of course you provide what you have gleaned from the investigation and guess what...low and behold..."ruling deferred pending further police investigation" or "pending toxicology". OOOPs, now the family of this guy asks then to take another look, whoops, oh thanks for asking, I don't know how we never caught that cyanide in his system....our bad.
These cutters are of the same caliber of the vast majority of county employees, like the ASA's, they can't hack it in the real medical world, so they come to Cook County to be a cutter. No fear of malpractice, they don't have to save anyone, and now they don't even have to make real, true or accurate findings during autopsies. The police ask them to review the case and we get nothing, but the family suspects something is amiss and "Hey now"! Johnny, tell them what they've won.....nothing, not a slap on the wrist, not a stern talking to, just a "well we tried to slough this one off the books, you did what we asked and now it's come back around".
The office if the ME is a political one, appointed and he knows who butters his bread, so he is bought and paid for just like everyone else in government. So in all actuality, the body count for 2012 should be 15-25 bodies higher, but they don't want to talk about that, do you Rahm, Garry or Toni?
Most deaths that appear to be of natural causes are not investigated all that closely. Unless there is some reason to look closer, I just do not see this as incompetence. The county could not afford to do any kind of testing of all deaths in the county.
I'll split it with you.... eh? eh?
Let's face it, the ME was told to classify deaths as "natural causes" so the murder rate doesn't go up. Doing a toxicology test is basic standard operating procedure. That is the only way you would know that on foul play was involved.
Don't forget to add 1 more homicide to last years total.
The more murders we rack up for last year the better it looks for this years numbers. That's the game.
I thought anyone under the age of 50 who dies in Cook County, while not under specific Medical care is subject to an autopsy. Apparently that is not the case, which means that there are probably several more homicides that were either burned or buried last year! Cook County is a Joke, but unfortunately the joke is on us who are forced to live here or are too stupid to move.
Maybe Vanecko gave him the cyanide, hence the cover up, code of silence.
From GMAX' Wacky World of Definition & Perception:
— Sodium or Potassium Cyanides are used in chemical processes and not readily available to the general public.
Therefore anyone succumbing to death by contamination or ingestion of said chemical property, could never ever be a murder. Let's ban chemicals and lottery tickets as a precaution.
The M.E Ceo reminds me of Hogans Heroes Schultz,I NO NOTIN.
Lets remember, Stroger used the MEs office as a dumping ground for political hacks he could not fit into other places.
There are very few qualified people there, and they try and make up for all the usless POC that lay around there.
Then to top it off, they had the budget slashed. I have never seen a ME car on the scene, they are forced to drive there own cars!
The new ME has his hands full, and they are probably tied by the county,so the unqualified will remain in command
Sad to say, this is the norm under stroger&daley
Wait a second, wasn't the guy declared dead by St. Francis Hospital, they would list the causee of death and just inform the ME.
Its the hospitals call to make this natural or ask for an investigation. We should look to the hospital that made the call first.
Wouldn't have fooled Quincey. Say, ain't he dead too?
Anonymous said...
(Ot) looks like with help of the. Blog a dedicated coppers calling and writing, letter received from Eddie Burke that he junkyard that was to be operating at 6200 west 51st in the village of forest view is not being done YET! Lets keep the pressure up,we don't need this shit here,more criminals "passing through" stealing more and more break ins! Thanks to all who helped and called! The village of forest view says now "they had no idea a junkyard was being proposed there! Yep ok Chicago ,style politics! Until "the envelope please" is presented to a slush fund for the elected we are ok! Lets try to keep on areas the best we can as long as we are stuck living in this city.
On another note thanks to the 3rd watch beat 811 and the 10 sector cars for all the car stops,the blue lights and the assholes walking and driving around it is nice to see you at least letting them know you car about the home front and taxpayers! THANKYOU!
1/08/2013 12:15:00 AM
I 2nd this, we need to keep pressure ON. I went to lipinski s office and his guy told me that zalewski,Burke,and lipinski don't want that shit here! Lets see if they keep that promise! As. Far as the 10 sector I agree nice to see aggressive policing where he people pay taxes! We could use a couple of tact cars out here also, the east end of 008 is just animals being animals and coppers are not appreciated save th home front thanks also from another street copper!
46 yr old male dying should always be looked into. Not too many 46 yr olds dying of natural causes- WTF!
What u mean the medical examiner doesnt even do a simple toxicology test on deaths esp deaths w no apparent cause at that young of an age......ohhhhh boooy is my wife in trouble!
have to ask ourselves this and find out how this man came to usa opened 3 dry cleaners,and had ownership of numerous condos,perhaps our welfare people could take a leaf from this mans life and forge ahead and become productive citizens instead of standing on street corners in the loop asking for spare change.as far as the cyanide is concerned i suspect a greedy family member who cant get enough.this guy seems to have been a hard worker and a all around nice guy,hope they get the responsible one,,,,
Half a million dollar lottery ticket in his pocket and it appears natural,now that sounds like a natural born lie!
You would think that the unattended death of a 46 year old might attract a little more attention than a quick check for after market orifices.
"...a standard toxicology screen most likely would have caught this..."
I'm still waiting for the tox screens on the CPS "honor students" who stole boats and drowned on the Fox River in the middle of the night a few years ago...understand we had to pay for their funerals. What the hell was going on on that "school trip?"
>crickets<
Wait.
You mean to tell me that cyanide is not on the ingredient list for curry?
How strange.
Kitty Genovese? SCC, you really ARE an old timer---or a good student of history. :--)
Anonymous said...
(Ot) looks like with help of the. Blog a dedicated coppers calling and writing, letter received from Eddie Burke that he junkyard that was to be operating at 6200 west 51st in the village of forest view is not being done YET! Lets keep the pressure up,we don't need this shit here,more criminals "passing through" stealing more and more break ins! Thanks to all who helped and called! The village of forest view says now "they had no idea a junkyard was being proposed there! Yep ok Chicago ,style politics! Until "the envelope please" is presented to a slush fund for the elected we are ok! Lets try to keep on areas the best we can as long as we are stuck living in this city.
On another note thanks to the 3rd watch beat 811 and the 10 sector cars for all the car stops,the blue lights and the assholes walking and driving around it is nice to see you at least letting them know you car about the home front and taxpayers! THANKYOU!
Yes the Power of an insignificant blog! I also live on 811 and 3rd watch does a great job noticed lots of stops and the west end has aggressive officers to protect our area! Thanks to SCC all the "spirits of the air" as usual get results!
CFD Here....
Had the opportunity to do a rotation through the morgue for continuing education....
Was told by autopsy tech/doc that basically anyone over 35 without suspicious circumstances gets the blanket "arteriosclerosis" cause of death.....
Quincy kicked ASS!
....ohhhhh boooy is my wife in trouble!
1/08/2013 12:31:00 PM
http://archive.org/download/OTRR_X_Minus_One_Singles/XMinusOne55-12-28031ALogicNamedJoe.mp3
You know, quit saying we deserve this shit because we voted for it. WE didn't for for any of these jag offs--these elections are routinely STOLEN and if you don't know that by now, you're very slow on the uptake.
Bring in Gary Sinese from NY CSI.
Doesnt anyone (Police or Med Exams office) do a death investigation??
Or is it just easier to say they are dead? What a bunch of crap. Poor dude is murdered and no one looks at it other than a death from old age stuff. Great job!!!
Lets be practical now. How many of us have been assigned a death investigation, arrive on scene and make a determination that he death is natural, interview the family who say grandma was under a doctors care, "who's isn't?"
Have the attending physician sign the DC and grandmas on her way to the funeral home. It's not right but its done everyday.
Would we want our dear old moms and dads who have suffered through cancer,diabetes, heart disease needlessly be transported in a body bag by minimum wage workers to lay overnight in the morgue so a pathologist can practice his or her canoe making skills in e morning?
You think you wait a long time now for a icky, ME Investigator and ET, just imagine if every death required this protocol .
Anonymous said...
(Ot) looks like with help of the. Blog a dedicated coppers calling and writing, letter received from Eddie Burke that he junkyard that was to be operating at 6200 west 51st in the village of forest view is not being done YET! Lets keep the pressure up,we don't need this shit here,more criminals "passing through" stealing more and more break ins! Thanks to all who helped and called! The village of forest view says now "they had no idea a junkyard was being proposed there! Yep ok Chicago ,style politics! Until "the envelope please" is presented to a slush fund for the elected we are ok! Lets try to keep on areas the best we can as long as we are stuck living in this city.
On another note thanks to the 3rd watch beat 811 and the 10 sector cars for all the car stops,the blue lights and the assholes walking and driving around it is nice to see you at least letting them know you car about the home front and taxpayers! THANKYOU!
1/08/2013 12:15:00 AM
I 2nd this, we need to keep pressure ON. I went to lipinski s office and his guy told me that zalewski,Burke,and lipinski don't want that shit here! Lets see if they keep that promise! As. Far as the 10 sector I agree nice to see aggressive policing where he people pay taxes! We could use a couple of tact cars out here also, the east end of 008 is just animals being animals and coppers are not appreciated save th home front thanks also from another street copper!
1/08/2013 11:55:00 AM
Agreed also! We do need more tact westend where citizens like myself and my family thank and pray for all of the hard overworked police officers that are Chicago heroes thank you God bless you all! Thanks the blog also for keeping us informed when city hall could careless!
I would bet there were close to 900 -1,000 , knowing how they cover up shit in this city.
This death investigation was published in major incidents report and observed 21 Dec ......dept just dragged its feet hoping to keep it a DI TILL 2013
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