Justice and Public Safety
August 2, 2016

A Strong Justice System

Minister Parsons Announces Details of External Review into the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner

The Provincial Government today released the terms of reference for an external review into the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) and announced that the review would be conducted by Dr. Matthew Bowes. Minister Andrew Parsons committed to the review in light of an incident whereby a murder charge related to a 2013 death was withdrawn in December 2015 due to forensic evidence being misplaced. He is available to discuss the review with the media today at 1:00 p.m. at the Holyrood Municipal Office, 34 Salmonier Line, Holyrood.

“The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner performs a valuable service in Newfoundland and Labrador and it is critical that we ensure the office is properly resourced and functioning as well as it should be. In addition to examining the circumstances related to the tragic case that precipitated this review, Dr. Bowes will review the OCME’s infrastructure, resources, policies and procedures, and provide recommendations to ensure the office is operating effectively.”
- The Honourable Andrew Parsons, Minister of Justice and Public Safety and Attorney General

Dr. Matthew Bowes has been the Chief Medical Examiner for Nova Scotia since 2006 and has conducted Medical Examiner reviews for other jurisdictions. He is the Past Chair of the Chief Coroners and Chief Medical Examiners of Canada and is a member of the Forensic Pathology Specialty Committee of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons and the Forensic Pathology Examinations Committee.

“I thank Dr. Bowes for agreeing to conduct this review and I look forward to seeing the final report and recommendations. Ultimately, our aim is to ensure that Newfoundland and Labrador’s OCME has the tools needed to properly operate as a vital part of the justice system in the province.”
- Minister Parsons

Budget 2016 allocated $100,000 for a review of the OCME. Dr. Bowes will begin his work in the coming weeks and expects to take several months to complete his work. The Terms of Reference for the review can be found in the backgrounder below.

QUICK FACTS

  • An external review of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner in Newfoundland and Labrador will be conducted by Dr. Matthew Bowes.
  • Dr. Bowes is the Chief Medical Examiner for Nova Scotia. He has conducted similar reviews for other jurisdictions in Canada.
  • The review will begin within the next few weeks and is expected take several months to complete.

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Media contact:

Luke Joyce
Director of Communications
Department of Justice and Public Safety
709-729-6985, 725-4165
lukejoyce@gov.nl.ca

BACKGROUNDER
Terms of Reference for the External Review of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner

To conduct a review that ensures public confidence in the operations of the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner (OCME) with the review to focus on:

  • The circumstances surrounding the loss of the brain and dura in the case of R. v. Thomas Michel;
  • Whether physical infrastructure, equipment, information management system and staffing levels are appropriate for the provision of forensic and pathology services in the province;
  • Whether the OCME’s policies and procedures, including those regarding the conduct of autopsies where a criminal offence is suspected and the reporting of findings from autopsies, are within national standards for the conduct of forensic pathology;
  • Whether existing policies, protocols, shared resources and facilities within Eastern Health support the effective and efficient operations of the OCME; and
  • The consultant is to provide recommendations, as necessary, to ensure that the OCME can properly discharge its duties.

2016 08 02                             11:05 a.m.