Coroner defends the job he's doing
Much-criticized, Ackles says he cares more about the people than about politics
By Jon Murray
Indianapolis Star
December 3, 2006
Marion County Coroner Kenneth Ackles has drawn criticism for much of this year for how he has run the office since his election in 2004.
But Ackles, 70, a Democrat who also has a chiropractic practice, said he has run the coroner's office with citizens in mind, not politics. People underestimate him, he said -- hearkening back to when he was a 126-pound fighter.
"I look very easy, but once you rough me up, it's a different thing," Ackles said Wednesday at his desk at the coroner's office in Downtown Indianapolis. "I work about 18 hours a day, and the people that say I'm incompetent. . . . In the olden days, I'd have put them in a ring, and we'd figure it out."
In coming weeks, Ackles' leadership will be tested when a forensic pathology firm, whose contract he terminated, stops work Dec. 19. The firm was to receive $858,000 this year for performing autopsies.
The firm also made additional fees by performing autopsies at the
local office for other counties.
Ackles is contracting with others to handle autopsies but has not commented
publicly on his plans.
One candidate he is considering has come under fire in the past.
Ackles also would not comment on an investigation under way by the Marion County prosecutor's office. Investigators served a search warrant at the coroner's office in September amid allegations of the theft of cash belonging to a dead man, improper record-keeping and mishandling of bodies. Ackles said his office reported the missing money in November 2005.
Here is more from Ackles:
Question: What was your reason for running for office?
Answer: I have to laugh about that first. It was strictly by accident.
I was asked to run, and I checked it out and couldn't see any reason
why I didn't want to run.
Q: Who asked you to run? Was it the Marion County Democratic Party?
A: One of the persons, yes. I got an OK from my wife.
Q: What have been some of the accomplishments within the office since
you've been there?
A: Well, everyone's been interested in "CSI." The first time
we had an open house was (in July). I thought we could capitalize on
that, and we just opened it up, and we had some vendors here, and we
had 200 or 300 people. . . . I felt it may help an individual in the
event a death occurred.
I also made a campaign pledge to speed up death certificates. When I was running, I talked to a lot of people, and I talked to some funeral home people, and that was one of their concerns.
When a decedent died, and the income stopped, the money stopped. So they were waiting on the death certificate. . . . And that's one reason why I come in every day. It's a tragic thing when somebody passes, and I think me doing that is good.
Q: You've received some criticism for things that have happened and
how you've run the office. How do you respond to those concerns?
A: I think Republicans had this office for 50 years. . . . And I've
been in office for one year and 11 months, and everything that I do
is wrong.
And the average person has worked here for 20, 15 years. And I got the same people. Now, if they're incompetent, when did it happen? You mean to tell me in a year and 11 months, everything's wrong?
Q: Do you think some of that criticism has come from resentment over
the fact you're not a medical doctor?
A: No. It might have a little impact, but the main criticism, I don't
need to tell you what it is. Me being a chiropractor, technically I'm
more qualified than the guy that had the office.
You know why? I'm a businessperson. I've been in business for 20 years. I do accident cases, I've been to court, I know depositions, I know lawyers and I know how to run a business.
Q: What do you think the public hasn't been told in recent months?
A: The public really doesn't see the coroner, and I've tried to make
myself accessible. There are very few things that I put my mind to
that I don't do a good job. And I consider myself a servant, and
a people person, and I'm very accessible. I have an open-door policy,
and I think that some of the people -- who, for whatever reason,
don't like my personality -- have tried to take advantage of that.
And really, I like everybody.
Q: What do you like about the office?
A: It gives me an opportunity to help people. It really does. . . .
And when I ran, the guy that was in the office got his man to run against me. . . . They forgot to tell him one thing: He had to campaign. I walked out two pair of shoes. I raised $25,000 or $30,000, and I beat him by 12,000 votes.
People are saying that . . . I wasn't supposed to win. And that's one of the problems today. They still have not figured out how I won. So they're going through crazy tactics and leaking things to the press. Some people got press running around with them. And that's the situation.
But I'm a servant, I will continue to serve, and everything that I do is in reference to the citizens of Marion County. And I'm very blessed to be elected coroner.
Q: When the current forensic pathology group leaves, will there be
anyone to do autopsies?
A: My job as coroner of Marion County is to provide services and end
up with the cause and manner of death. We have a 24-hour-a-day operation,
and it will continue.
Q: Whoever you're going to hire or contract with to be the head pathologist,
will they be allowed to do autopsies from outside Marion County?
A: I think we'll work that arrangement out. . . . Indianapolis is (in)
the largest county, and I think that's a service that should be provided,
under the right circumstances.
Q: Have any of the other political leaders weighed in on this with
you?
A: I don't know how to answer that.
Q: Has the mayor called you?
A: The mayor? No, I don't get calls from the mayor often. . . . My
office is independent, and the only people that I deal with or have
an interest with are the citizens of Marion County.
Q: You said you used to fight. Do you wish you could do that now?
A: Well, I think I still can. I still can. But I'm just an average
person, always involved in politics. I grew up under the civil rights
(movement). . . . The people that are supposedly challenging me now,
I used to do them for lunch.
Q: In one word, what is all this challenge against you about?
A: All my life, people tell me what I can't do. And I look very easy,
but once you rough me up, it's a different thing. I'm a fighter,
and my job is to take care of the citizens of Marion County, to do
a service.
Q: Money? That's one word. Race? That's one word. Power?
A: I think maybe power. I found out the coroner's office has a lot
of power. I never thought about it. . . . Once I was elected, it
was about two or three weeks before I came to the office. They had
lunches for me, and I never showed up.
Q: Why?
A: Well, I'll tell you why. I had to figure it out. I believe that.
Once I decided to do something, I always make it. And I had not decided
. . . I had to -- being the coroner -- figure out the situation.
You see, I'm kind of an emotional guy . . . I'm a very passionate guy, that's why I'm good for this job. When a decedent dies, I feel it. You know, I do. I do . . .
When you really look at it, I'm blessed. I'm really blessed. And it's a little discomfort. But you know, let's face it. Martin Luther King paved the way, and by golly, I'm the coroner of Marion County.