Officials Confirm Resignation Of LA County Coroner Over Backlog

LOS ANGELES (CBSLA.com) — Los Angeles County Medical Examiner-Coroner Mark Fajardo will resign from his position in the wake of a KCAL9 report that revealed a major backlog in the department, officials said Friday.

"I can confirm that he is submitting his letter of resignation today," coroner's Assistant Chief Ed Winter told reporters. Winter did not say when the resignation would become effective.

Sources Thursday told KCAL9's Randy Paige there are about 400 cases waiting to be reviewed in the department, and that the "toxicology lab is mismanaged, and in dire straits."

The backlog has been blamed on issues such as drug and alcohol analyses being delayed, which is holding up the determination
of criminal cases.

Fajardo downplayed the problems in his interview with the Los Angeles Times, saying under-staffing that prevented the department from doing its job properly was the primary reason for his leaving.

He has received a new job offer that he likely will accept, but declined to disclose, Fajardo told the Los Angeles Times.