NMA President Dr. Roger A. Mitchell, Jr. to Help Lead National Study on Deaths in Custody
SILVER SPRING, MD. (Oct. 30, 2025) — Dr. Roger A. Mitchell, Jr., 126th President of the National Medical Association serves on an ad hoc committee of the National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine that conducted a landmark study on the handling of deaths in custody by the medicolegal death investigation (MLDI) system in the United States. The study, “Strengthening the U.S. Medicolegal Death Investigation System: Lessons from Death in Custody,” was shared today in a webcast.
The committee, convened by the National Academies, evaluated how deaths in custody, those occurring during detention, arrest, transport, or incarceration, are investigated, diagnosed, recorded, and reported. The study identified opportunities to strengthen scientific standards, improve transparency, and ensure accountability within medicolegal death investigations. Additionally, the committee was asked to consider the measures (and limitations thereof) that forensic pathologists should follow to conduct independent assessments of cause of death generally and in particular for deaths in custody.
Among its key areas of focus, the committee considered the accuracy of cause and manner of death determinations, potential bias mitigation strategies, and the dual role of death investigation systems in serving both public health and criminal justice objectives. The study culminated in a consensus report with findings and actionable recommendations for national implementation. The committee’s findings emphasize the need for reform, highlighting the gaps and challenges faced by medical examiners and coroners.
The webcast’s presentation indicated that a robust MLDI system is crucial for both justice and public health and that by implementing the committee’s recommendations, the nation can create a modern system that meets the needs of its citizens. Additionally, the presentation stated that a commitment to these improvements will lead to more accurate death determinations, better public health outcomes, and a fairer criminal justice system.
“I am honored to serve on this distinguished committee and contribute to a study that is both timely and necessary,” said NMA President Dr. Roger A. Mitchell, Jr., who is also the co-author of Death in Custody: How America Ignores the Truth and What We Can Do About It. “Understanding how deaths in custody are investigated and reported is essential to promoting justice, transparency, and public trust. This work represents an opportunity to strengthen the integrity of our nation’s medical and legal systems and advance health equity through truth and accountability.”
As the nation’s oldest and largest organization representing Black physicians and their patients, the NMA is committed to advancing policies and practices that uphold health equity, justice, and scientific excellence. Dr. Mitchell’s participation underscores the NMA’s ongoing engagement in national conversations that impact public health, civil rights, and systemic reform.
To view a recording of the “Strengthening the U.S. Medicolegal Death Investigation System: Lessons from Death in Custody” webcast, please click here.
To access the report, please click here.
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About the National Medical Association:
The NMA is the nation’s oldest and largest organization representing Black physicians and health professionals in the U.S. and promotes the collective interests of physicians and patients of African descent. We serve as the voice of Black physicians and a leading voice for parity in medicine, elimination of health disparities and promotion of optimal health. To learn more about the NMA, please visit https://www.nmanet.org/.
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