Pathologist Sergio Sarita Valdez has reiterated his claim that the courts are sending fewer cases of violent deaths to the National Institute of Forensic Sciences (Inacif) where he is head pathologist.
He said they are now seeing 70% fewer violent death cases at the Marcelino Velez Hospital morgue in Herrera, Santo Domingo West.
He said that more than 60% of the cases they are seeing are natural deaths with very few autopsies for violent deaths.
He said the decision to not send cases of violent deaths for autopsy to the Inacif was political, taken by the legal authorities. He said the Attorney General office has the right to decide whether or not to send a body for autopsy.
He said that the Inacif has resisted pressure from the authorities and is telling the truth. He said he knows of official death certificates issued by other entities in cases of natural death when the victim had actually been beaten to death. He said Inacif is a scientific organization and stated that a forensic pathologist could not be political to prevent having to accommodate results to convenience.
Sarita Valdez says that if the trend continues, the Inacif will cease to exist.
http://www.metrord.do/noticias/sarita-valdez-dice-excluyen-a-patologia-de-autopsias/ftwpbe—NkIU7m6DKYlA/
http://www.diariolibre.com/noticias/sucesos/sarita-valdez-denuncia-que-el-ministerio-publico-excluye-a-patologia-forense-de-las-autopsias-GN2593877
