Families Want Former Chief Medical Examiner to Finish Autopsies

By Rusty Surette, NEWS 9

OKLAHOMA CITY -- Two Oklahoma families are asking that the former Chief Medical Examiner be allowed to finish what he was working on before he was fired.

The families said Dr. Collie Trant was working to correct the mistakes on their loved one's autopsies, mistakes that other doctors made in the past.

For example, Kathy Young said the cause of death on her son's autopsy is wrong.

"They came up with a cause of death that was inaccurate and impossible quite frankly," Young said.

So, Dr. Trant began working on a new autopsy for Christopher Young.

"He's an angel to me and my family. He's the one person there who helped me," Young said.

The Turners said they have gone through the same thing.

Their daughter, Chanda, died nine years ago. They said she was murdered, but the M.E.'s office declared her death a suicide.

Both families said the only person who has listened to their cries for justice was Trant. They said he agreed the work done by previous doctors at the M.E.'s office was inaccurate and needed correction, but that was before the board that oversees the M.E.'s office fired Trant earlier this year. Now, those cases, and many more have been passed on to other doctors, but the families said they don't trust those doctors.

"What I want these board members to know is real people, who have suffered real tragedies and real loss, are suffering because of this. I want it to stop," said Attorney Jaye Mendros who is representing the families. "For the citizens of this state, if you lose a loved one tragically, you will then have to tragically deal with this Medical Examiner's office."

Mendros has asked to speak to the board at their meeting next week on behalf of both families, and ask if Dr. Trant can be allowed to finish the work he started.

A spokeswoman for the M.E.'s office said unless he's reinstated, it's unlikely Dr. Trant will be allowed to finish his work.

"We've got pathologists here on staff we trust, and we'll trust them to do the work they're hired to do," said Cherokee Ballard, M.E.'s office spokesperson.

The families said they'll picket and protest next week's board meeting if they have to. They said they are also considering legal action if Trant is not allowed to finish the work.

The M.E.'s office said because Trant failed to document some of the work he was doing for these families, the office has no choice but to do its own work.

More on News9.com:

Family Worries ME's Situation Will Delay Answers into Daughter's Death
Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Collie Trant Terminated