The New Orleans coroner’s office has been found liable in a civil trial for failing to identify a man’s body, which was left to decompose while the family searched for him.
Sidney Smith alleged that the coroner failed to identify his son Justin’s body for nearly a month. Smith’s son died in 2023.
A portion of a WDSU investigation was used during the trial at New Orleans civil court.
Smith’s attorney said the coroner’s office will have to pay more than $65,000 in damages.
Sidney Smith, the father of Justin issued the following statement after the judgement:
“New Orleans Coroner, Dwight McKenna was found completely negligent by the court for the way he handled my son Justin’s body in June 2023 by allowing him to not only be unidentified, but remain in an unrefrigerated cooler for almost a month and causing his body to completely decompose beyond recognition.
I always felt that we presented an excellent case, but win or lose, I successfully brought to light the hideous and unacceptable manner in which the New Orleans Coroner‘s office and Dwight McKenna specifically, has repeatedly refused to take accountability. And this extends to more families than just my own. There are any number of lawsuits that still face this man and unbelievably… He is running unopposed for reelection in October of this year. And unfortunately, qualifying for the election ended today.”
The Coroner’s office issued the following statement on the ruling:
“I disagree with the court’s ruling in the matter involving the identification of Mr. Justin Smith. Once my office obtained the fingerprints from law enforcement, we acted promptly, and the identification was made.
To be clear: the fingerprinting was delayed due to circumstances beyond the Coroner’s Office’s control, including an air conditioning failure at the NOPD facility where the equipment is housed.
My office has always been and remains committed to fulfilling its legal responsibilities with diligence and integrity. I fully intend to appeal this decision so the record reflects the full scope of events and to protect the integrity of the work we do on behalf of the people of Orleans Parish.”
READ MORE:New Orleans coroner’s office found liable in civil trial over unidentified body
