Time of Death

Listening to NPR's Morning Edition today, I heard a report from the NOLA coroner's office proclaiming that no matter the cuase or actual time of death, all bodies recovered will be given an official time of death that corresponds with the landing of Katrina.

This is a mistake. There will be, no doubt, many people who have legitimate claims of wrongful death. These cases will be complicated by death certificates stamped with an official ceremonial date rather than the actual time and date of death. Post Katrina dates of death may arguably be due to the negligence of the governmental response, or like the cases with the nursing homes, negligence of the hospital staffs.

It's a technicality. But in the legal world, technicalities end up getting criminals off the hook.