Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1963-10-09
D. C.to Curb Jobs
Of Coroner's Staff
Report Proposes
Stopping Fee
For Testifyinq
By CHARLES d. PIERCE
star staff Writer

nave dPPAOfCu q IcCO1ufucIlud-
ton that the city's deputy
coroners be prohibited from en-
gaging in outside jobs during
hours they are supposed to be
working for the District.
The Commissioners, it was
learned today, took this action
in executive session last week
after receiving a District In
ternal Audit Office report. The
report stated that the deputy
coroners have been employed
at local universities at times
they were scheduled to be on
duty for the District.
At this executive session, the
Commissioners also approved
another recommendation in the
same audit that the coroner
and his deputies no longer be
paid $50 expert witness fees for
court testimony they give in
their official capacity on autop-
sizes they have performed. The
audit was dated September II.
Regarding hours worked for
the District, the audit said that
the tour Of duty of the coroner
and his deputies is 8 am. to
4 pm. five days a week, with
daily assignments staggered to
provide coverage seven days a
week"
Audit Quotes Coroner
The audit said that DIR. Rich
ard L. Whelton, District cor
oner, has stated that while he
and the deputy coroners are
not always present at the
morgue during their duty times,
they are ION call" at all other
times during their tours Of
duty.
The audit said that while q
controller generals decision
permits some doctors to serve
on an ION call" or standby
basis, standby time is defined
as:
a.. Periods in which an en-
ploye is officially ordered to
remain at or within the con.
fines Of his station, not per-
forming actual work, but hold
ing himself in readiness to per-
for actual work when the need
arises or when called"
Deputy Teaches Surgery
Nevertheless, the audit said.
one deputy coroner works rs
hours a week teaching surgery
at Howard University and
most Of this time conflicts
with the deputy coroner's tour
OF duty for the District"
Another deputy coroner, the
audit said, works at Providence
Hospital from 8 to 1880 am.
and 2:30 to s pm. Monday
through Friday. Most Of the
hours worked at the hospital
conflict with the deputy coro-
ner's tour Of duty with the
District" said the audit.
The third deputy coroner Is
employed at Howard Univer-
Sity and also has assignments
which conflietwith the deputy
coroner's tour Of duty with
the District" the audit said.
The audit also said that
records maintained by the
coroner's office are not ade-
quate to show how much time
the coroner and his deputies
are giving to their jobs.
No Conflict Seen
DR.. whelton said that "In
general the outside work of
the deputy coroners does not
interfere with their duties for
the District.
Regarding the expert witness
fees, DR.. Whelton said that
payment of such fees to rep
resentatives of the coroner's
office has been the accepted
practice over a period of many
years." -
He said that although con-
terences with police and rep
resentatives of the United
States Attorneys office are
often required before court ap-
pearances, mo attempt is made
10 gain compensation for such
work, whether it is performed
during regular duty hours or
not"
Meanwhile. a Corporation
Counsel's opinion saying that
District government doctors
ian no longer get outside pay
Tor teaching while on duty is
expected to be submitted to the
Commissioners tomorrow.