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As part of the Forensic Seminar Series, Nancy Haley reflects on her 30 years working with the Rhode Island Department of Health.

Forensic Toxicologist explains how she assists in autopsies

By: Tamar Weinberg

Posted: 2/15/05

02/15/05 - Forensic scientist Nancy Haley said that death, drugs and tragedy are only some of the factors that provide a morbid thrill in her profession.

"We all think of death as the ending," Haley said. "For forensics its just the beginning."

Haley is the supervisor for the Forensic Toxicology Laboratory at the Rhode Island Department of Health. She presented her 30 years of experience last Friday evening in the Pastore Chemical Laboratory for last week's installment of the Forensic Seminar Series at the University of Rhode Island.

Haley explained the primary role of a forensic scientist is to determine the cause of death in an individual who did not die of natural causes or in the care of a physician. She said that out of the one million residents in Rhode Island: 10,000 people die each year, and approximately 1,000 of those bodies are investigated by a medical examiner.

Haley said that the Station Nichtclub fire in West Warwick was her most horrifying experiences so far.

"We examined 97 people from the fire in two days," she said. "We usually get only 30 bodies a month."

Haley's role as a forensic toxicologist is to look for the remnants of toxins, drugs and poisons in a person's blood and tissue, and decides whether or not those items caused the death of an individual.

She said that Rhode Island has more cocaine and heroine than any other state due to its location between New York City and Boston, but marijuana makes up the bulk of her workload.

One of the most crucial topics Haley emphasized was the importance of understanding how a person died and then double checking to make sure that conclusion it absolutely correct. She said in her years of work with the Department of Health she had seen many terrible forensic investigations that allowed criminals to be set free.

"I almost lost my mind during the O.J. Simpson trial," she said. "You have to make sure you do it right and document everything you do. The way they handled that was just horrendous. "

Haley said that her job is very rewarding despite the circumstances.

"I enjoy being the one having the final answer," Haley said. "We think of forensic science as a translator by helping families put the pieces back together."