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Monday, 21 April 2008
Los Angeles Times
Most pathologists who perform private autopsies eschew publicity and rely on coroner and funeral home referrals for business, but Los Angeles-based 1-800-AUTOPSY has taken a high-profile approach.
When Sharon Waldorf's mother died, the Los Angeles County coroner suggested she call 1-800-AUTOPSY.
"I laughed, 'Are you kidding?' " she says. "He said, 'No, that's the number.' "
Most pathologists who perform private autopsies eschew publicity and rely on coroner and funeral home referrals for business, but Los Angeles-based 1-800-AUTOPSY has taken a high-profile approach. Founder Vidal Herrera, an autopsy technician, is not shy about listing famous clients: "We took all of Johnnie Cochran's cases and we worked on Coretta Scott King's daughter," he says.
Company vans feature the business name, 1-800-AUTOPSY, in bold letters, and Herrera sells T-shirts, skeleton key chains and gelatin brain molds on the 1-800-AUTOPSY website.
Though some autopsy providers disparage Herrera's flamboyant methods, Waldorf considers herself a satisfied customer. She got a call back from the service within minutes and says she was treated with dignity.
-- Christie Aschwanden
