Students Tour the Morgue

Touro Law students visited the Office of the Suffolk County Medical Examiner for a tour of the morgue.

Before the tour, students received a rundown of the invaluable work done in the morgue and consultant services that work with the Medical Examiner, including Pathology, Histology, Anthropology, Radiology, and Forensic Odontology (Dentistry).

Students learned that many of the autopsies performed are for unnatural deaths of anyone within the jurisdiction of Suffolk County, when autopsies by the Medical Examiner are required by policy. Autopsy results are often critical to crime scene investigations and can help investigators understand how someone actually died and assist in putting together a sequence of events from a crime scene. Results can often reveal what happened at a crime scene by providing medical information about injuries a victim sustained.

First-year student Alyssa Ednie stated, “The morgue tour was incredibly eye-opening and informative. Before the tour, I had no idea how many people went through the morgue and the many different reasons this process is so essential to the justice system. It was truly a unique experience and I’m so grateful I was able to go.”

Students geared up in face masks, protective lab coats, and signed a waiver prohibiting the discussion of information that is unavailable to the public, ensuring the protection and integrity of the decedents that were present that day.

During the three-hour tour, students were able to view the various autopsies that the Medical Forensic Investigators performed. As students observed the autopsies, they were able to ask the investigators questions regarding the process. The investigators explained to students which anatomical organs they were viewing, and how, as well as why, they collect certain samples depending on the reasons a decedent may be brought to the morgue.

Second-year student Brittany G., president of the Criminal Law Society, stated, “Visiting the Suffolk County ME’s Office provided a unique learning opportunity of the entire autopsy process. It was extremely educational to observe the pathologists conducting their examinations in such a methodical way and explaining each step of the procedure in depth. I believe this will be a valuable experience for anyone interested in criminal law, whether that be prosecution or defense work.”