Monkey Spankings at the Morgue

[n2doc]

By Rick Anderson in County of KingTuesday, Feb. 9 2010 @ 8:36AM

​Was it good government practice for morgue staffers to provide the King County medical examiner with samples of their sperm at $20 a pop? The voluntary ejaculations were a bit unseemly, a new county investigations report reveals, but at least the self-abuse wasn't an abuse of authority.
If it all seems a little strange, keep in mind this is the morgue that held an office contest awarding $10 for the most grisly death-scene photos; where a boss showed up at work wearing a bulletproof vest; and where someone stole the remains of a newborn baby from the body cooler.

A whistle-blower had raised the question of Chief Medical Examiner Richard Harruff's sperm-gathering in a 2007 complaint, but it wasn't until two weeks ago that the county Ombudsman's Office issued its report, along with findings on whether or not the ME's office had properly handled brain tissue and fetal remains.

The morgue, located in a corner of Harborview Medical Center on Pill Hill, has long been a controversial workplace where employees have sued over sexual harassment and unusual practices. The new ombudsman's report, issued January 29, looked into some of those issues, first raised in a 16-page complaint filed in August, 2007 by former ME staffer Robinette Struckel.


http://blogs.seattleweekly.com/dailyweekly/2010/02/monkey_spankings_at_the_morgue.php