United Kingdom – In what is being heralded as landmark decision and a major victory for Jews and Muslims, the High Court has ruled that in cases in which the deceased’s religion demands that the corpse remain intact, coroners must now forgo autopsies and use only non-invasive procedures in determining cause of death.
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INDEPENDENT.co.uk (http://ind.pn/1glfjjA) reports that the ruling provides guidelines and alternative methodologies for coroners to employ in establishing cause of death; including the use of CT scans and blood cultures.
Mr. Justice Mitting also noted that there is an “established religious tenet” that an invasive autopsy should be avoided, and that there exists a “realistic possibility” that conclusions can be drawn through alternative procedures.
The announcement followed a one-day hearing stemming from the case of an 86-year-old Orthodox Jewish woman who passed away last September at a London hospital.
Against the wishes of the family of Serlotta Rotsztein, an autopsy was ordered by an Inner London coroner after she received conflicting opinions on the cause of death.
I feel contrite and take back some of the things I said about Britain. At least their judges are enlightened. They realized that the society committed a crime against Jewish people and took steps to prevent this crime from recurring.