Coroner staff attends seminar on domestic violence

[October 29, 2008]  Logan County Coroner Robert Thomas and Deputy Coroner Doug Brooks recently completed a two-day training, "Investigating Domestic Violence-Related Homicides."

The seminar was hosted by the Grundy County Coroner's Office in Morris. Instruction was provided by retired Sgt. Michael Coker, an 18-year veteran with the Portsmouth, Va., Police Department. He served in the Sex Crimes Unit, Family Violence Unit and Homicide Division.

Topics at the seminar were intimate partner violence and death, child abuse and homicide investigation, personality traits of offenders, civil and case law considerations, and actual homicide case studies.

"Every year in the United States there are over 4 million incidents of domestic violence," Thomas said. "This means every 12 seconds someone is beaten by their intimate partner, resulting in nearly 2,000 homicides a year. Although incidents of domestic violence homicides are rare in Logan County, it is critical for the coroner's staff to have insight into the unique aspects of such an investigation."

[Text from file received from Robert Thomas, Logan County coroner]