Opinion ID: 1707183
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 10

Heading: whether the trial court erred in allowing the testimony of dr. mcgarry.

Text: ś 160. Evans next argues that Dr. McGarry should not have been allowed to testify as to the results of the autopsy performed on August 11, 1991, because officials failed to comply with statutory provisions governing autopsy procedure. Miss.Code Ann. §§ 41-37-9, 41-61-57, -59, -61, -65. ś 161. Specifically, Evans challenges the authority of Dr. McGarry to perform the autopsy. Evans voiced his objections to Dr. McGarry's testimony in a motion in limine filed on the seventh day of trial. The trial court conducted a hearing where Evans argued that the State failed to produce a court order from Pearl River County or authorization from the State Medical Examiner's Office authorizing Dr. McGarry to perform the autopsy. Relying on Pendergraft v. State, 213 So.2d 560 (Miss.1968), appeal dismissed, 394 U.S. 715, 89 S.Ct. 1453, 22 L.Ed.2d 671 (1969), reh'g denied, 395 U.S. 941, 89 S.Ct. 1993, 23 L.Ed.2d 459 (1969), the trial court held that Evans lacked standing to challenge statutory technicalities and overruled the motion. ś 162. Prior to reaching the merits of Evans' argument, Pendergraft is instructive. Pendergraft argued that the doctor who performed the autopsy should not be allowed to testify as to his findings at trial because the statutory requirements were not followed. Specifically, Pendergraft argued that a copy of the autopsy report had not been filed with the circuit court clerk. Id. at 563. After review, this Court held: It was not the legislative intent and purpose for an accused in a criminal case to have the standing or the right to complain that all technicalities had not been strictly followed in the ordering of an autopsy. The principal purpose of the statute is set forth in Section 7158-02, Mississippi Code of 1942 Annotated (Supp.1966) in these words: An autopsy may be performed, as provided by this act for the purpose of determining the primary and/or contributing cause of death in the interest of public health and in criminal cases. It would be passing strange if an accused could thwart the main purpose of the statute because of a technicality. Id. at 564. ś 163. This Court is again faced with a situation where the accused in a murder trial seeks to challenge technical requirements of autopsy procedures. Here, as in Pendergraft, Evans lacks standing to challenge technical compliance with autopsy procedure and therefore the trial court properly allowed Dr. McGarry to testify. ś 164. Notwithstanding Evans' lack of standing, statutory autopsy procedure was followed in the case sub judice. Miss.Code Ann. § 41-37-5 allows only a physician duly licensed by the Mississippi State Board of Health to perform an autopsy. It is undisputed that Dr. McGarry was a licensed physician. ś 165. Evans argued that authorities failed to comply with Miss.Code Ann. § 41-37-9 because there was no court order from a Pearl River County circuit or chancery court which allowed the autopsy to be conducted. Miss.Code Ann. § 41-37-9 states, in pertinent part: A circuit judge, chancellor or county judge of the county or district where a person died or where the body of such deceased person may be or where the mortal stroke or other cause of death occurred, may, in his discretion, either in term time or vacation, order an autopsy to be performed upon the body of such deceased person.... (emphasis added). This statute is clearly directed at autopsies conducted by court order upon the petition of either a county prosecuting attorney or the district attorney. Autopsies may also be ordered upon petition of certain health officials or performed by consent. Miss.Code Ann. §§ 41-37-23; -25. ś 166. Miss.Code Ann. § 41-61-65 provides that autopsies may also be performed upon the recommendation of the medical examiner investigating the case. Specifically, that statute provides, in pertinent part: If, in the opinion of the medical examiner investigating the case, it is advisable and in the public interest that an autopsy or other study be made for the purpose of determining the primary and or/contributing cause of death, an autopsy or other study shall be made by the State Medical Examiner or by a competent pathologist designated by the State Medical Examiner.       In determining the need for an autopsy, the medical examiner may consider the request from the district attorney or county prosecuting attorney, law enforcement or other public officials or private persons. ś 167. In the case sub judice, the State advised the trial court that it was prepared to call Judge John Stafford, Coroner of Pearl River County during August 1991, to testify that he had authorized Dr. McGarry to conduct the autopsy. Under Miss.Code Ann. § 41-61-57(2), Stafford is considered a county medical examiner investigator and pursuant to § 41-61-65 could recommend that an autopsy be performed. During the hearing on the motion in limine, the District Attorney indicated that Dr. McGarry was on the list of competent certified pathologists in the state from whom county medial examiners could choose. Moreover, Evans did not challenge Dr. McGarry's qualifications. This issue is without merit.