Editorial: A fairer coroner’s inquest

Tuesday, Nov. 6, 2007 | 7 a.m.

Police officers in Clark County who kill people in the line of duty answer for their actions before a coroner's inquest.

In the 31-year history of the inquest system, only once has an officer been found negligent. In all the other cases, the officers' actions were found to have been justified.

Although the district attorney's office can elect to pursue criminal charges against an officer even if the inquest rules the action was justified, it never has.

Because the inquest system is empowered with such finality, it should be unquestionably fair. But a lot of valid questions about the system have arisen over the years. In response, Clark County formed a panel in August 2006 to recommend changes.

Out of the panel, which included representatives of the American Civil Liberties Union as well as the police union, have come two proposals, both of which are scheduled to be introduced today at a Clark County Commission meeting and discussed in depth by the commission at a later meeting, possibly Nov. 20.

The proposals differ on one major point. One proposal, backed by the police union, would essentially continue the current procedure for giving the family of the deceased a voice. This requires the family to submit written questions during the hearing , and gives the hearing officer the power to decide which questions will be read aloud for the witnesses to answer.

The other proposal, backed by the ACLU, would allow the family to retain an attorney - a public defender if need be. The attorney, in the presence of the jury, would be able to verbally direct questions to the hearing officer, who would then decide which questions should be answered by witnesses.

We believe the ACLU-backed proposal is a fairer way of conducting the inquests.