Opinion ID: 796898
Heading Depth: 4
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: Condon begins photography at the Morgue

Text: 14 Chesher claims that, in the course of preparing to produce the instructional film, Condon was essentially given free rein to pursue his own art project using the Morgue and the bodies housed there. Security at the Morgue during this time consisted primarily of what Parrott characterized as an internal security system based entirely on trust. 15 The Morgue is located on the first floor of the Coroner's Office. Two coolers house the bodies, and County staff perform the autopsies in a suite adjacent to the coolers. During the relevant time period, the door to the autopsy suite was secured with a keypad lock that prevented entry by anyone without a proper code. The cooler itself, however, which also provided access to the autopsy suite, was unlocked. Coroner's Office staff members were also aware that the characters  could be entered on the keypad by anyone as a shortcut code. Condon used that code to enter the autopsy suite. Morgue employees stated that they received no training on who should be permitted to enter the Morgue. 16 In August of 2000, Daly explained to both Pfalzgraf and Tobias that Condon would be around the Morgue taking photographs for the training-video project. Pfalzgraf, Tobias, and Utz subsequently permitted Condon, beginning on August 16, to observe autopsies that they performed. Although standard practice required outside persons observing an autopsy to sign a view sheet, Condon did not sign in for the autopsies that he observed on August 16, or for those that he observed and photographed during later visits. 17 Daly prepared a short outline of a script for the proposed video after the initial August 16 visit by Condon and Waits. Several weeks later, Condon and Waits provided Parrott with an estimate of $10,000 to produce the instructional video. Parrott, according to his deposition testimony, determined that the Coroner's Office could not afford the project based on this bid. In addition, Parrott had in the meantime obtained an alternate training video at a National Association of Medical Examiners meeting that lessened the need to produce his own. 18 Parrott said in his deposition that he decided not to proceed with the video project at that point, but he conceded that he did not recall giving [Daly], you know, a specific statement that it's over, it's done and history. Pfalzgraf similarly said that he never knew of the project being cancelled. Parrott could not recall precisely when he decided to cancel the project, but indicated in his deposition testimony that his County Coroner campaign for the November 7, 2000 election was underway at the time. He asserts that his involvement with Condon ceased at that point, but Chesher alleges otherwise. She claims that Condon later received and distributed yard signs supporting Parrott's candidacy during his reelection campaign. According to Chesher, Condon also sent Parrott a Christmas card and sent the Coroner's Office staff a spiral-sliced ham for their holiday party. 19