A letter from forensic pathologists represented by Doctors Council SEIU warns Mayor Eric Adams that NYC’s Office of the Chief Medical Examiner is on the brink of collapse due to low pay and the failure to renew a 2018 funding agreement, which has already led to the loss of 23 of its 32 full‑time Medical Examiners, with six more expected to leave imminently.

An annual audit report by the Auditors of Public Accounts revealed that the Office of Chief Medical Examiner exhibited several internal control deficiencies, including delayed fund commitments, improper accounting practices, and noncompliance with GAAP requirements. The agency accepted the recommendations to improve its internal controls.

The Office of Chief Medical Examiner suspended a senior DNA analyst and two criminalists following allegations that they signed off on their own analyses, raising concerns about the integrity of forensic work that is vital for ensuring fair justice. This lapse in internal controls could undermine trust in evidence-based investigations, potentially harming marginalized communities that are disproportionately affected by forensic errors.

A recent judicial ruling has reignited concerns over the legacy use of the Forensic Statistical Tool (FST) by New York City’s Office of Chief Medical Examiner. Although the OCME retired FST in favor of the more widely accepted STRMix in 2017 amid scientific criticism, reports reveal that FST evidence still influences old cases. Moreover, the OCME has resisted transparency—refusing to release the source code or fully address critics’ concerns—which raises serious questions about the integrity of forensic practices in the justice system.

An investigation reveals that the New York City Office of Chief Medical Examiner underreported laboratory errors in its DNA database, which contributed to wrongful arrests and undermined public trust. The disclosures, obtained via a Freedom of Information Law request, detail incidents including a 2016 wrongful arrest and issues with contaminated samples.