An investigation by FRONTLINE and NPR looks at the nations 2,300 coroner and medical examiner offices and finds a troubled system that literally buries its mistakes! THE AUTOPSY…..

What is an autopsy? An autopsy is the examination of a body after death, which may also be referred to as a post-mortem. Developed largely in Germany, the process has been refined over years of experience and scientific development to allow modern investigators to build a clear picture of the death scene. An autopsy is the examination of a body after death, which may also be referred to as a post-mortem. Developed largely in Germany, the process has been refined over years of experience and scientific development to allow modern investigators to build a clear picture of the death scene.

Who Performs an Autopsy? The autopsy is performed by a pathologist or coroner and reveals aspects such as its cause, the weapon/s used (if any are involved) and the time since death. Permission from the victim's next-of-kin needs to be obtained when the law does not require an autopsy to be performed. The autopsy is performed by a pathologist or coroner and reveals aspects such as its cause, the weapon/s used (if any are involved) and the time since death. Permission from the victim's next-of-kin needs to be obtained when the law does not require an autopsy to be performed.

What happened in the past? Blunders by doctors in America's morgues have put innocent people in prison cells, allowed the guilty to go free, and left some cases so muddled that prosecutors could do nothing. Blunders by doctors in America's morgues have put innocent people in prison cells, allowed the guilty to go free, and left some cases so muddled that prosecutors could do nothing.

In Mississippi, a physician's errors in two autopsies helped convict a pair of innocent men, sending them to prison for more than a decade. In Mississippi, a physician's errors in two autopsies helped convict a pair of innocent men, sending them to prison for more than a decade.

The Massachusetts medical examiner's office cremated a corpse before police could determine if the person had been murdered; misplaced bones; and lost track of at least five bodies.

Should you get an autopsy? Late last year, a doctor in a suburb of Detroit autopsied the body of a bank executive pulled from a lake -- and managed to miss the bullet hole in his neck and the bullet lodged in his jaw. Late last year, a doctor in a suburb of Detroit autopsied the body of a bank executive pulled from a lake -- and managed to miss the bullet hole in his neck and the bullet lodged in his jaw. Should you get an autopsy? Should you get an autopsy? s/frontline/post-mortem/ s/frontline/post-mortem/ s/frontline/post-mortem/ s/frontline/post-mortem/