RCAO identifies 7 cases for further review in ex-medical examiner's investigation
ST. PAUL, Minn. (FOX 9) - The Ramsey County Attorney’s Office announced on Wednesday the review of former medical examiner Dr. Mike McGee’s work is moving into the final phase as seven cases need additional review.
The RCAO held a press conference on Wednesday to provide an update on the case review of Dr. McGee, the former county medical examiner whose work on criminal cases was called into question, and to explain the next phase of the review plan.
RCAO update on ex-medical examiner case review [RAW]
The Ramsey County Attorney's Office held a press conference on Wednesday to update the review process of former county medical examiner Dr. Michael McGee. The investigation is moving to its final stage, with seven of his cases needing additional review by independent medical experts.
Background
Dr. McGee served as a medical examiner from 1985 to 2019 and is believed to have testified in hundreds of cases, and now those convictions are getting a second look.
Ramsey County Attorney John Choi started reviewing McGee’s work in 2023 after a federal judge called McGee's conclusions and testimony regarding the cause of Dru Sjodin's death "unreliable, misleading, and inaccurate" during Alfonso Rodriquez's appeal of his death sentence for Sjodin's murder.
FOX 9 Investigators have been investigating Dr. McGee's cases since 2010.
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Choi’s office identified 216 cases in which McGee conducted an autopsy and was later listed as a witness for the prosecution. That list was later narrowed down to 71 cases for further analysis.
What's new?
Choi announced that for the final phase of the review, they narrowed down the 71 cases to seven that needed further review by independent medical experts.
Kristine Hamann, with the Prosecutor Center for Excellence (PCE), the organization contracted to help with the investigation, explained the cause and manner of death were an issue in these seven cases, and a medical expert is needed to help determine whether Dr. McGee’s conclusions about the cause and manner of death were erroneous or not.
"I do want to caution and say simply because there's seven cases left, we have not rendered an opinion about whether those cases are good, bad or indifferent. We are not there yet," Hamann said during a press conference on Wednesday.
The panel, consisting of three independent medical examiners from out of state, will review the cases and take a deep dive into the science before discussing with each other and coming to a conclusion. The seven cases are believed to be related to homicides.
What’s next?
Phase three of the review report is expected to begin in October.
After the medical examiners reach a final conclusion, they will present their findings, and the PCE will make a summarized report. Furthermore, the Great North Innocence project will review the information, and if the RCAO has any findings or recommendations, they will be made public, according to a press release.