Do Medical Examiner Investigators conduct interviews or interrogate?

Medical Examiner Investigators primarily conduct interviews rather than interrogations. An interview is a conversation in which the investigator seeks information from witnesses, family members, or others who may have relevant knowledge regarding the death being investigated. This process is critical for gathering facts, interpreting circumstances surrounding the death, and collecting insights that could guide subsequent forensic analysis.

Interviews are generally designed to be informative and cooperative, allowing investigators to obtain a wide range of perspectives and details. In contrast, an interrogation is typically more confrontational and is meant to extract information from a suspect or person of interest, often when there is suspicion of wrongdoing. Since Medical Examiner Investigators do not function within a law enforcement capacity, they do not engage in interrogations. Their role focuses on fact-finding to aid in determining causes and manners of death, making interviews the appropriate method for their investigations.