Delayed homicide autopsies pile up in Mississippi despite tough-on-crime-talk

By MICHAEL GOLDBERG
Associated Press/Report for America

JACKSON, Miss. (AP) — Incomplete homicide autopsy reports continue to pile up in Mississippi even as state leaders have touted tough-on-crime governance this year heading into the Nov. 7 general election. Mississippi’s system for conducting autopsies has long been plagued by delays. Records obtained by The Associated Press show that this year, a chunk of homicide autopsy reports have again stalled for months. Homicide autopsies in Mississippi continue to lag behind national standards as crime has remained a flashpoint in the state legislature and campaign trail. The new data comes to light after a 2022 AP analysis found that Mississippi has long violated national standards for death investigations.