A medical examiner (often referred to by the initials "M.E.") is a physician, and a specialist in pathology or forensic science. The difference between and M.E. and a coroner is a coroner is elected whereas an M.E. isn't.
In New York City, the chief medical examiner and several assistant M.E.s work at the NYC Office of Chief Medical Examiner.
Duties always include determining the cause, time, and manner of death. This uses the same investigatory skills of a police detective in most cases, because the answers are available from the circumstances, scene, and recent medical records. In many American jurisdictions any death not certified by the person's own physician must be referred to the M.E.
On the Law & Order series M.E.s, are often used as a source of information during police investigations.
Investigations
Law & Order: Special Victims Unit
Episode: "Mean"
- Assistant M.E. Cardillo examined the body of Emily Sullivan. After he finished his preliminary investigation, a car from the M.E.'s office picked up the body.
Known medical examiners
Dr. Elizabeth Rodgers
- Elizabeth Rodgers
- Melinda Warner
- Carl Rudnick
- Taylor
- Borak
- Brody
- Eddie Hastings
- Cardillo
- Flax
- Hoeck