Theodore Joscelyn Curphey (October 25, 1897 – November 27, 1986) was an American

coroner A coroner is a government or judicial official who is empowered to conduct or order an inquest into the manner or cause of death. The official may also investigate or confirm the identity of an unknown person who has been found dead within th ...

who was the chief coroner for

Los Angeles Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...

and Nassau (New York) Counties. Curphey was elected Nassau County medical examiner on December 15, 1937, by the Nassau County Board of Supervisors. Prior to becoming county medical examiner, Curphey had worked as a

pathologist Pathology is the study of disease. The word ''pathology'' also refers to the study of disease in general, incorporating a wide range of biology research fields and medical practices. However, when used in the context of modern medical treatme ...

at St. John's Hospital in

Brooklyn Brooklyn is a Boroughs of New York City, borough of New York City located at the westernmost end of Long Island in the New York (state), State of New York. Formerly an independent city, the borough is coextensive with Kings County, one of twelv ...

and Meadowbrook Hospital in

East Meadow, New York East Meadow is a Hamlet (New York), hamlet and census-designated place (CDP) in the Hempstead, New York, Town of Hempstead in central Nassau County, New York, Nassau County, on Long Island, in New York (state), New York, United States. The popula ...

. As Nassau County's Chief Medical Examiner he oversaw the autopsies of Robert L. Bacon, Janet Fay, Owen Davis, Jr., and William Woodward, Jr. He also worked with the

FBI The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is the domestic Intelligence agency, intelligence and Security agency, security service of the United States and Federal law enforcement in the United States, its principal federal law enforcement ag ...

to identify the fatalities of Northeast Airlines Flight 823. While working as Nassau County Medical Examiner, Curphey also served as the Chairman of the New York State Medical Society's Public Health and Education Committee, President of the Nassau County Medical Society, and Chairman of the Nassau County Committee of the

American Cancer Society The American Cancer Society (ACS) is a nationwide non-profit organization dedicated to eliminating cancer. The ACS publishes the journals ''Cancer'', '' CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians'' and '' Cancer Cytopathology''. History The society w ...

. On March 19, 1957, Curphey was announced as the first Coroner of Los Angeles County. In his first year as coroner, he was involved in a dispute with local morticians over delay in issuing death certificates. In November 1958, Curphey's autopsy procedures were investigated by a grand jury, which accused him of misconduct. The charges against Curphey were later brought before the Los Angeles County Civil Service Commission, which promised him that no further complaints will be filed against him. Curphey was the chief coroner during the investigation into the

death of Marilyn Monroe On the evening of August 4, 1962, American actress Marilyn Monroe died at age 36 of a barbiturate overdose inside her home at 12305 Fifth Helena Drive in Brentwood, Los Angeles, California. Her body was discovered before dawn the following morn ...

. On August 7, 1962, soon after her August 4 death, Curphey announced that a massive overdose of barbiturates was the cause of death. He later said she had lethal doses of both Nembutal or

chloral hydrate Chloral hydrate is a geminal diol with the formula . It was first used as a sedative and hypnotic in Germany in the 1870s. Over time it was replaced by safer and more effective alternatives but it remained in use in the United States until at ...

and she could have been killed by either. Curphey also administered the autopsies of

Jack Westrope Jack Gordon Westrope (January 18, 1918 – June 19, 1958) was an American Hall of Fame jockey in Thoroughbred horse racing. Born in Baker, Montana, Westrope was the son of racehorse owner/trainer W. T. Westrope. Jack was only 12 years old when he ...

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, Davey Moore,

Red Sanders Henry Russell "Red" Sanders (May 7, 1905 – August 14, 1958) was an American college football player and coach. He was head footnall coach at Vanderbilt University (1940–1942, 1946–1948) and the University of California, Los Angeles (1949 ...

,Red Sanders Ruled Victim of Athlete's Heart
Express and News from San Antonio, Texas, August 16, 1958, p. 19 and

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. Curphey retired on October 25, 1967, from the

Los Angeles County Coroner The Los Angeles County Department of Medical Examiner is the medical examiner's office of the government of the Los Angeles County, California, County of Los Angeles, California. It is located at the Boyle Heights, Los Angeles, Boyle Heights nei ...

’s office. After his retirement he served as consultant in forensic medicine and on the Suicide Prevention Bureau, which he founded. On November 27, 1986, Curphey died at age 89.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Curphey, Theodore American coroners Medical examiners People from Pasadena, California People from Garden City, New York People from Kingston, Jamaica 1897 births 1986 deaths