Local Medical Examiner Censured

The state has restricted the practice of Elliott Gross, a medical examiner whose botched autopsy led to the filing of murder charges against an Atlantic City police officer.

Gross, who serves as medical examiner for Cape May and Cumberland counties, was censured Friday by the Department of Law and Public Safety. The agency issued a letter to Gross, outlining several conditions he must fulfill before he can resume his duties.

He was cited for errors that led to the charges against James Andros III's, whose wife, Ellen, was found dead in their Pleasantville home in April 2001.

Ellen Andros had been suffocated, Gross determined, but further testing revealed that the 31-year-old mother of two had died of a rare heart ailment.

Gross' attorney, Russell Lichtenstein, criticized the state's decision and questioned whether it actually conducted an investigation. He claimed that investigators never spoke with his client and that the state acted without substantial evidence.

"Dr. Gross missed a microscopic change of a coronary artery of Mrs. Andros," Lichtenstein told The Press of Atlantic City for Tuesday's editions. "Virtually as soon as he detected the microscopic change - as soon as he realized the oversight - he had the professional integrity to change his opinion (of cause of death)."

Although the two counties share Gross' services and divide his $142,500 salary, Gross is considered a Cape May County employee and all decisions on his contract, which expires in 2005, must be made by that county. For now, both counties will use other doctors to perform Gross' duties.

If Gross wishes to be reinstated, he must perform 20 autopsies under the supervision of forensic pathologists approved by the State Medical Examiner's Office and observe 20 autopsies performed by other forensic pathologists.

He also must review 50 to 100 slides provided by the State Medical Examiner's Office and provide analysis, officials said. He must satisfy all these requirements within 90 days.

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Author: NBC10/AP