Committee on Science, Technology, and Law

Webinar

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations, Consensus Report Release

October 30, 2025

11:00 AM - 12:00 PM (EDT)

Past

Materials

Briefing Slides

About

Members of the report authoring committee will discuss the new report, Strengthening the U.S. Medicolegal Death Investigation System: Lessons from Death in Custody, and its findings and recommendations, and answer questions about the report.

Video of the release event is available at https://vimeo.com/event/5451153.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Not Closed

Organizing Project

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations

Contact

Dr. Anne-Marie Mazza

amazza@nas.edu

Location

Keck Center

500 5th St NW

Washington DC 20001, USA

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations - Committee Check-in #8

July 7, 2025

3:15 PM - 5:00 PM (EDT)

Past

About

Committee members met to discuss the draft report.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Raymond Lohier, John Rich, Paul Appelbaum, Dabney Friedrich, Miriam Gohara, Jonathan Lucas, Roger Mitchell, Josiah Rich, L. Song Richardson,Michael Rosenblum, Marc Stern

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

Draft report

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

Draft report

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

July 08, 2025

Organizing Project

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations

Contact

Dr. Anne-Marie Mazza

(202) 334-2469
amazza@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations - Committee Check-in #7

July 2, 2025

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM (EDT)

Past

About

Committee members met to discuss the draft report.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Raymond Lohier, John Rich, Paul Appelbaum, Edward Cheng, Miriam Gohara, Jonathan Lucas, Roger Mitchell, Josiah Rich, L. Song Richardson, Julie Robinson, Michael Rosenblum, Marc Stern

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

Draft Report

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

Draft Report

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

July 03, 2025

Organizing Project

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations

Contact

Dr. Anne-Marie Mazza

(202) 334-2469
amazza@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations - Committee Check-in #6

June 30, 2025

4:00 PM - 6:00 PM (EDT)

Past

About

Committee members met to discuss the draft report.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Raymond Lohier, John Rich, Paul Appelbaum, Edward Cheng, Miriam Gohara, Mark Graber, Jonathan Lucas, Roger Mitchell, Josiah Rich, L. Song Richardson, Julie Robinson, Michael Rosenblum, Marc Stern

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

Draft Report

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

Draft Report

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

July 03, 2025

Organizing Project

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations

Contact

Dr. Anne-Marie Mazza

(202) 334-2469
amazza@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations - Committee Check-in #5

June 16, 2025

3:00 PM - 5:30 PM (EDT)

Past

About

Committee members met to discuss the draft report.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Raymond Lohier, John Rich, Paul Appelbaum, Edward Cheng, Miriam Gohara, Jonathan Lucas, Roger Mitchell, Josiah Rich, L. Song Richardson, Michael Rosenblum, Marc Stern

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

Draft recommendations

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

Draft report

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

July 03, 2025

Organizing Project

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations

Contact

Dr. Anne-Marie Mazza

amazza@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations - Committee Check-in #4

June 5, 2025

1:00 PM - 2:00 PM (EDT)

Past

About

Committee members met to discuss the draft study report.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Raymond Lohier, John Rich, Edward Cheng, Dabney Friedrich, Roger Mitchell, Song Richardson, Julie Robinson, Michael Rosenblum

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

Draft Report and next steps

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

N/A

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

June 10, 2025

Organizing Project

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations

Contact

Dr. Anne-Marie Mazza

amazza@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations Meeting # 8

May 16, 2025

11:00 AM - 1:00 PM (EDT)

Past

Materials

About

This was the eighth meeting for an ad hoc committee conducting a consensus study on the handling of deaths in custody (detained, arrested, en route to incarceration, or incarcerated in state or local facilities or a boot camp prison) by the medicolegal death investigation system in the United States and related concerns with medicolegal death investigations more generally.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Raymond Lohier, John Rich, Paul Appelbaum, Edward Cheng, Miriam Gohara, Mark Graber, Jonathan Lucas, Roger Mitchell, Josiah Rich, Julie Robinson, Michael Rosenblum, Marc Stern, Peter Stout

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

Speaker presentations, next steps

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

May 19, 2025

Organizing Project

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations

Contact

Dr. Anne-Marie Mazza

amazza@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations Meeting #7

April 16 - 17, 2025

Past

Agenda

Download the Agenda

Materials

About

This was the seventh meeting for an ad hoc committee conducting a consensus study on the handling of deaths in custody (detained, arrested, en route to incarceration, or incarcerated in state or local facilities or a boot camp prison) by the medicolegal death investigation system in the United States and related concerns with medicolegal death investigations more generally.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Raymond J. Lohier
John A. Rich
Paul S. Appelbaum
Edward Cheng
Dabney Friedrich
Mark L. Graber
Jonathan Lucas
Josiah “Jody” Rich
Julie Robinson
Michael Rosenblum
Peter Stout

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

Draft report and next steps.

The following materials (written documents) were made available to the committee in the closed sessions:

Draft report

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

April 21, 2025

Organizing Project

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations

Contact

Dr. Anne-Marie Mazza

amazza@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Workshop

Implications of Recent Supreme Court Decisions for Agency Decision-Making: A Workshop

April 7 - 8, 2025

Past

Materials

Speaker Biographies

About

In recent decisions (e.g., West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency and Biden v. Nebraska), the Supreme Court moved away from the traditional deference afforded government agencies under the 1984 case Chevron v. National Resources Defense Council - ultimately overturning Chevron in its June 28, 2024 decision on Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo. In moving away from Chevron, the court has embraced the Major Questions Doctrine (MQD), wherein courts are tasked with independently interpreting laws and deciding whether an agency has the authority to act.

The National Academy of Sciences held a two-day, in-person workshop on the implications of the Major Questions Doctrine (MQD) and the overturning of Chevron deference for agency decision-making.

See below for video of the event.

Organizing Project

Implications of Recent Supreme Court Decisions for Agency Decision-Making: A Workshop

Contact

Renee Daly

(202) 334-2048
rdaly@nas.edu

Location

Keck Center

500 5th St NW

Washington DC 20001, USA

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations - Committee Check-in #3

March 26, 2025

2:00 PM - 5:00 PM (EDT)

Past

About

Committee members met to discuss the draft study report.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Raymond Lohier, John Rich, Paul Appelbaum, Dabney Friedrich, Miriam Gohara, Mark Graber, Jonathan Lucas, Roger Mitchell, Josiah Rich, L. Song Richardson, Julie Robinson, Nancy Rodriguez, Michael Rosenblum, Marc Stern, Peter Stout

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The organization and content of draft chapters for the study's report were discussed.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

April 02, 2025

Organizing Project

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations

Contact

Dr. Anne-Marie Mazza

amazza@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations Meeting #5

January 9 - 10, 2025

Past

Materials

Panel 1, Coronal System in England and Wales- Deaths in Custody and Cause and Manner of Death_Lucy Easthope

About

This was the fifth meeting for an ad hoc committee conducting a consensus study on the handling of deaths in custody (detained, arrested, en route to incarceration, or incarcerated in state or local facilities or a boot camp prison) by the medicolegal death investigation system in the United States and related concerns with medicolegal death investigations more generally.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Raymond Lohier, John Rich, Paul Appelbaum, Edward Cheng, Dabney Friedrich, Miriam Gohara, Mark Graber, Jonathan Lucas, Roger Mitchell, Josiah Rich, L. Song Richardson, Julie Robinson, Nancy Rodriguez, Michael Rosenblum, Marc Stern

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The committee discussed the presentations they heard on January 9th and 10th, the workplan and plans for the February meeting.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

January 13, 2025

Organizing Project

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations

Contact

Dr. Anne-Marie Mazza

amazza@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations Meeting #4

December 3 - 4, 2024

Past

Materials

About

This was the fourth meeting for an ad hoc committee conducting a consensus study on the handling of deaths in custody (detained, arrested, en route to incarceration, or incarcerated in state or local facilities or a boot camp prison) by the medicolegal death investigation system in the United States and related concerns with medicolegal death investigations more generally.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Partially Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Raymond Lohier, John Rich, Paul Appelbaum, Edward Cheng, Dabney Friedrich, Miriam Gohara, Mark Graber, Jonathan Lucas, Roger Mitchell, Josiah Rich, Julie Robinson, Nancy Rodriguez, Michael Rosenblum, Marc Stern, Peter Stout

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The committee discussed the presentations they heard on December 3rd, the workplan and plans for the January and February meetings.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

December 05, 2024

Organizing Project

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations

Contact

Dr. Anne-Marie Mazza

amazza@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

Meeting Closed

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations Committee Check-In #2

November 19, 2024

2:00 PM - 4:00 PM (EST)

Past

About

This was a check-in meeting for an ad hoc committee conducting a consensus study on the handling of deaths in custody (detained, arrested, en route to incarceration, or incarcerated in state or local facilities or a boot camp prison) by the medicolegal death investigation system in the United States and related concerns with medicolegal death investigations more generally.

Additional Information

Is it a Closed Session event?

Institution Closed

The following committee members were present at the closed sessions of the event

Raymond Lohier, John Rich, Paul Appelbaum, Dabney Friedrich, Miriam Gohara, Mark Graber, Jonathan Lucas, Roger Mitchell, L. Song Richardson, Nancy Rodriguez, Michael Rosenblum, Marc Stern, Peter Stout

The following topics were discussed in the closed sessions:

The committee discussed topics and potential speakers for the December meeting.

Date of posting of Closed Session Summary:

December 09, 2024

Organizing Project

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations

Contact

Dr. Anne-Marie Mazza

amazza@nas.edu

Disclaimer

It is essential to the National Academies mission of providing evidence-based advice that participants in any of our meetings or events avoid political or partisan statements or commentary and maintain a culture of mutual respect. The statements and presentations during our meetings or events are solely those of the individual participants and do not necessarily represent the views of other participants or the National Academy of Sciences, which is a non-partisan, tax exempt organization that includes under its Charter the National Academy of Engineering and National Academy of Medicine, and that operates the National Research Council.

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News and Updates

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations, Consensus Report Release

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations - Committee Check-in #8

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations - Committee Check-in #7

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations - Committee Check-in #6

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations - Committee Check-in #5

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations - Committee Check-in #4

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations Meeting # 8

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations Meeting #7

Implications of Recent Supreme Court Decisions for Agency Decision-Making: A Workshop

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations - Committee Check-in #3

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations Meeting #6

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations Meeting #5

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations Meeting #4

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations Committee Check-In #2

Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations Meeting #3