Dr. Barbara Simpson departs as Chief Medical Examiner in New York City for Mount Sinai | 711Web

Home - Latest News - Dr. Barbara Simpson departs as Chief Medical Examiner in New York City for Mount Sinai

Barbara Sampson, New York City’s first female medical examiner and chief of staff during the pandemic’s darkest days, will be leaving to take up her position at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, officials announced Monday.

Sampson, appointed in 2014 to the position of medical examiner by Mayor Bill de Blasio, has overseen a number of major changes to the nation’s largest municipal forensic operation, including the addition of new DNA technology to identify disaster and crime victims.

According to a spokeswoman for the chief medical examiner’s office, Sampson’s last day on the job will be Tuesday. She is scheduled to begin her new position Wednesday as vice president of strategic initiatives for laboratory and academic affairs, and professor of pathology at Manhattan Medical School.

Dr. Jason Graham has been named the acting chief medical examiner, officials said. Graham has been with OCME since 2006 and in his current job since 2008.

In 2016, Sampson and other OCME officials laid out a plan to deal with a wave of mass deaths involving in- and out-of-hospital deaths from infection with the virus and other pathogens. In its most severe form, the study estimated that the “biological accident” could lead to more than 50,000 deaths over an eight-week period. The report said that the Office for Coordination and Cooperation in the Middle East would be the lead agency in dealing with victims.

When the coronavirus pandemic swept the city in March 2020, Sampson and its staff were overwhelmed by the pandemic’s victims as well as other deaths. To store the growing numbers of dead bodies, Sampson and OCME, along with other city agencies, have established a long-term storage operation at the South Brooklyn Marine Terminal. The facility allowed families of pandemic victims more time to arrange final disposition and funerals. The operation lasted nearly 500 days before concluding last September.

As of Monday, there have been more than 34,000 confirmed and probable COVID-19 deaths in New York City, officials said.

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In recent years, OCME under Sampson has begun using a rapid DNA analysis system to identify mass deaths victims in less than two hours.

Officials hope to use this system in criminal cases. With the remains of more than 1,100 victims of the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks yet to be identified, OCME has also begun using this year’s newest massive DNA sequencing system, known as Next Generation Sequencing, to obtain usable DNA profiles from the degraded remains. for identification.

“I am extremely proud of OCME for maintaining our longstanding tradition of conducting independent investigations into the public health service and the criminal justice system and helping New Yorkers deal with their most difficult moments of trauma and loss,” Sampson said in a statement. “I leave the agency knowing that we are stronger and ready to take on whatever challenges come for our city.”

Anthony M. Distefano has been a Newsday reporter since 1986 covering law enforcement, criminal justice, and legal affairs from her New York City offices.

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