ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice 185d ago

Deaths in custody raise urgent questions about accountability, transparency, and civil rights. In this Chair Chat, Dr. Roger Mitchell Jr. and Dr. Cynthia Swann examine how deaths in custodial settings are investigated and addressed within legal and civil rights frameworks. Drawing on Dr. Mitchell’s experience as a forensic pathologist, former chief medical examiner, and contributing author to the recent National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM) consensus report Advancing the Field of Forensic Pathology: Lessons Learned from Death in Custody Investigations, the conversation examines how death investigation practices influence legal outcomes, systems of oversight, and public trust. Dr. Swann brings a medico-legal and public policy perspective grounded in her expertise across emergency care and carceral health systems, examining how gaps in independence, resources, and standards can obscure the truth and limit accountability. Together, the speakers underscore why rigorous, independent death investigation is essential to protecting constitutional rights and strengthening civil rights enforcement. Dr. Roger Mitchell, Jr.– President, National Medical Association (NMA); Immediate Past President Howard University Hospital; Former Professor of Pathology, Howard University College of Medicine Dr. Cynthia Swann (Moderator) – President and CEO, Swann Group Global; Vice Chair, ABA Section of Civil Rights and Social Justice; Vice Chair, NBA Civil Rights Law Section; National Medical Association -- During the 2025–26 Bar Year, Section Chair Mario A. Sullivan continues CRSJ’s Chair Chat – bringing together leading lawyers, scholars, advocates, and organizers to tackle the most urgent civil rights and rule-of-law issues and share practical strategies for impact. New episodes premiere every other Thursday at 2:00 p.m. ET on our YouTube channel. Subscribe for updates and catch past conversations on-demand. Learn more about CRSJ Chair Chat: https://www.americanbar.org/groups/crsj/resources/on-demand/chair-chat/