Gov. Deval Patrick fired Massachusett’s chief medical examiner after a months-long investigation exposed severe management breakdowns leading to mishandled bodies, botched prosecutions and deplorable health conditions at the agency, reports the Boston Herald. A scathing report to be released today faults Dr. Mark A. Flomenbaum–hired in 2005 by former Gov. Mitt Romney–for a series of recent scandals that put his office on the “verge of collapse,” according to an official briefed on the findings.
The report, completed by independent consultants Vance Worldwide, decries failures in basic supervision and management of autopsy services, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. It also calls for the hiring of a new chief operating officer to oversee nonmedical functions. The chief medical examiner's office has been plagued by scandals since the mid-1990s.
Link: http://news.bostonherald.com/localPolitics/view.bg?articleid=1014980