Pennsylvania Coroners Block Autopsy Reports, Hindering Research on Deaths in Custody

In Pennsylvania, the public availability of autopsy reports is facing significant hurdles, as various coroners across the state continue to block access to these crucial records. This widespread resistance to releasing documents complicates the efforts of researchers and journalists who aim to investigate deaths in custody, an issue of growing concern regarding transparency and public accountability.

State law generally requires that autopsy records be accessible, yet many local officials create obstacles. Problems range from outright refusals to provide documentation to the imposition of exorbitant fees. Requesters often encounter inconsistent reasoning, with some coroners claiming that disclosure could hinder ongoing investigations, while others incorrectly cite medical privacy standards.

Transparency and Legal Requirements

According to the Pennsylvania County Code, citizens have two primary ways to access these records. They can either obtain them directly from a coroner—often by paying statutory fees—or, in counties with fewer than 500,000 residents, access them through the county prothonotary. The latter method is intended to be free for the public for records from the preceding year. However, in practice, many coroners fail to deposit these files with the prothonotary, leaving the public with no choice but to pay high costs for access.

Major jurisdictions like Philadelphia and Allegheny County operate under different frameworks, having transitioned from the coroner system to the medical examiner system. While court rulings have clarified that certain offices, such as the Allegheny County Medical Examiner, must adhere to public release requirements, other areas maintain restrictive policies. For instance, the Philadelphia Medical Examiner’s Office generally restricts access to next of kin, citing different legal interpretations and the city's home rule charter.

The financial burden for obtaining these records can be substantial. While some offices charge hundreds of dollars per report, other states provide similar documentation at a fraction of the cost. The Pennsylvania Supreme Court’s 2012 ruling in Hearst Television Inc. v. Norris established that coroners have no discretion to withhold records once the statutory fee is paid. Despite this, researchers like Jonah Walters and Terence Keel have reported that many counties ignore these mandates, failing to acknowledge requests or provide information in a timely manner.

The Impact on Research

The refusal to release records has prompted some officials to coordinate efforts, described by one official as a “united front effort,” to prevent the disclosure of materials related to sensitive cases, including deaths in prison. Even when courts have ruled in favor of transparency, as seen in Terence Keel v. Chester County Office of the Coroner, practical barriers persist. Without access to these documents, conducting rigorous studies on deaths in custody becomes increasingly difficult, limiting the public’s ability to understand the conditions behind the walls of state facilities.