[Vision2020] Another criminal justice system problem

[Art Deco]

Medical board investigates E. Idaho doctor amid complaints of botched
autopsies

BOISE, Idaho — The Idaho Board of Medicine is investigating complaints that
an eastern Idaho doctor who is also an Idaho State University faculty
member botched 10 autopsies, including one involving a highly publicized
murder.

The complaint contends that in one case, Steve M. Skoumal, of Pocatello,
determined a Rexburg family died of carbon monoxide inhalation. However,
after the bodies were exhumed and sent to Boise, another examiner found
bullets or bullet fragments in the victims' heads.

"I personally looked at the X-ray film and had some big questions, and so
we got second opinions," Madison County Sheriff Roy Klingler told the Idaho
Statesman (http://bit.ly/xIQqzz). "It sure made a mess at the time. We had
a lot of family members — it's not fun to have your family members exhumed.
As far as the final outcome, I don't know if (Skoumal's errors) would
really change anything or not."

The deaths remain unsolved.

Skoumal also testified as the state's expert witness in the 2006 stabbing
death of 16-year-old Cassie Jo Stoddart, who was stabbed 29 times while
house-sitting for relatives. Two men are serving life sentences for the
killing.

The complaint against Skoumal in that case said that even though the knives
used in the killing had unique characteristics, Skoumal couldn't identify
the size or length of the knives that made the wounds or interpret wound
patterns. One of the men involved in the murder unsuccessfully appealed his
sentence, contending that the "state failed to prove which of the wounds
were fatal, as the state's expert witness, Dr. Skoumal, only offered
testimony that 12 of the wounds were 'potentially fatal,'" said the Idaho
Supreme Court in its January 2012 opinion.

Skoumal denies any wrongdoing. His attorney, Richard A. Hearn, said Skoumal
is caught between law enforcement officers unhappy with Skoumal's reports
and the medical board that's operating without all the information.

"Some people are unhappy with what he did," said Hearn. "The people who are
complaining about Dr. Skoumal are primarily police and legal people that
didn't get the answers they sought."

The board could ultimately revoke Skoumal's license.

"But there are a couple problems with the case (so far)," Hearn said. "We
are dealing with the practice of medicine. And it's not clear that
performing an autopsy is practicing medicine."

Nancy Kerr, executive director of the Board of Medicine, declined to
comment on Skoumal but said physicians facing accusations are usually
offered a chance to meet informally to discuss a complaint.

In another case, Skoumal did an autopsy on the exhumed body of a
90-year-old woman who had been a hospice patient. The woman's granddaughter
was charged with first-degree murder after Skoumal reported the woman died
of a drug overdose. The complaint against Skoumal said that he took
embalming fluid instead of blood for a sample and misinterpreted the
toxicology results. Skoumal disagrees. Charges against the granddaughter
were eventually dropped.

The complaint against Skoumal also includes the case of a woman found dead
in 2010 near a crashed vehicle, with her husband dead in the back seat. The
board said Skoumal determined she died of "blunt impact injuries consistent
with a motor vehicle accident." The board noted Skoumal didn't document all
the cuts and marks on her body, though a history of domestic violence
existed. Skoumal stands by his finding of "blunt force trauma."

___

Information from: Idaho Statesman, http://www.idahostatesman.com

-- 
Art Deco (Wayne A. Fox)
art.deco.studios at gmail.com
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