OU President Offers to Donate Land to Expand M.E.'s Office

The president of the University of Oklahoma could play a key role in the future of the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

Tuesday, March 9th 2010, 10:16 pm

By: News 9


By Rusty Surette, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- The president of the University of Oklahoma could play a key role in the future of the Oklahoma Office of the Chief Medical Examiner.

State Representative Al McAffrey confirmed OU President David Boren has offered to donate land near the Medical Examiner's Office for the possibility of expanding the building. The M.E.'s Central Office is located near the OU Medical Center.

"He has offered the land," said Rep. McAffrey. "We would just have to find a way to pay for the expansion of the building."

McAffrey, who has worked in the funeral and autopsy business since 1976, said the state would likely have to pass a bond issue in order to pay for any expansion. He said he favored this plan over another that would relocate the M.E.'s office to Edmond near the Oklahoma State Bureau of Investigation Forensic Science Center.

"We've got to protect the people of Oklahoma," said McAffrey. "We need the M.E.'s Office in a central location of the metro near hospitals."

The democratic lawmaker also said he opposed any proposed merger with OSBI.

Former OSBI Deputy Director Tom Jordan is now heading up the M.E.'s office following the firing of former Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Collie Trant and the resignation of Acting Chief Medical Examiner Eric Duvall.

"Right now a law enforcement officer is running the M.E.'s office, and this is an agency that must be fully independent of law enforcement," McAffrey said.

Dr. Trant was hired last year by The Board of Medicolegal Investigations to help bring changes to the Medical Examiner's Office. The agency recently lost its accreditation by the National Association of Medical Examiners. In a report, inspectors said the Oklahoma City office was cited for no longer providing enough space for full staff, not enough room to perform more autopsies and no more space for case files.

More on News9.com:

Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Collie Trant Terminated
Former Medical Examiner Dr. Trant to Sue After Being Fired
Oklahoma Chief Medical Examiner Placed on Leave
Possible Incriminating E-mails Discovered at M.E.'s Office
State Leaders Proposing M.E.'s Office, OSBI Merger
Medical Examiner's Office Out of Space to Store Bodies
Medical Examiner's Office Faces Thorough Review

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