From: Mark Vautaw
Columbus
Bartholomew County residents need a little food for thought prior to voting in this year’s coroner race. Does this county need a coroner who will be top heavy with all the hats he would wear or do we need a coroner who is independent of all political and legal ramifications?
I voted for Ron Shadley last week. Shadley is the only coroner candidate who will not be involved in the police investigation and determine cause of death. Apparently, the policeman coroner candidate is going to research the “forensic bugs” on the body, based on a recent letter to the editor.
How many hats should the coroner be wearing? I thought, IU anthropology should be notified of bodies found after a length of time that have insect activity. How independent would a coroner be if he is in all aspects of the investigation?
Another concern is that the policeman candidate is reported to be on limited duty. Yet he appeared in the paper on the front page doing a death investigation. How many of us can be on limited work duty and still perform a second job? Where is the police and city leadership on this issue and can they explain it to the county residents? If the police department has had this educated criminalist in their midst, why didn’t they call him in on the murder v. suicide case?
If you really want to change things in Bartholomew County and have independent death investigations, support a candidate who will be wearing only a coroner’s cap. Support Ron Shadley.
