The Autopsy Report Said Suicide. The Family Said Murder. Abe George Fought to Change the Record.
When the official ruling does not match the facts, a family's fight for truth is just beginning. The case of Johmeik Simmons — a high school football star whose death was ruled a suicide — shows what it takes to challenge a Medical Examiner and demand answers.
For most families, a Medical Examiner's ruling feels final.
When a loved one dies and the Medical Examiner determines that the death was a suicide, many people assume there is nowhere else to turn. The investigation may wind down. Police may stop looking at the death as a possible homicide. And a grieving family can be left with an official conclusion that they simply do not believe.
But a Medical Examiner's determination is not always the end of the story.
The case of Johmeik Simmons is an important example.
Johmeik was a young former high school football standout whose death was initially classified as a suicide. His family never accepted that conclusion and continued fighting for answers.
NBC New York's I-Team reported extensively on the case and the questions surrounding the investigation:
NBC New York I-Team: High School Football Star's Death Raises Questions
When the Official Story Doesn't Make Sense
Families know their loved ones in a way that no police report or autopsy report ever can.
That does not mean a family's belief alone proves that an official determination is wrong. But when the circumstances surrounding a death do not add up, there may be legitimate reasons to take another look.
That is where an independent investigation can become critically important.
The original police investigation, autopsy materials, crime-scene evidence, forensic testing, photographs, witness accounts and physical evidence can all be examined again with fresh eyes.
Sometimes that second look reveals questions that were overlooked, evidence that deserves additional analysis, or conclusions that may not be fully supported by the evidence.
Sometimes You Have to Re-Investigate the Investigation
Challenging an official determination requires much more than simply telling the Medical Examiner that the family disagrees.
A meaningful review may require assembling an independent team of investigators and experts capable of reconstructing the case from the beginning.
That can include experienced private investigators, forensic pathologists, crime-scene experts and other specialists.
As a former homicide prosecutor, Abe George understands how homicide investigations are built, how physical and forensic evidence should be evaluated, and what questions need to be asked when the official conclusion does not appear to fit the circumstances.
The purpose of an independent investigation is not to manufacture a different result. It is to determine whether the original conclusion withstands careful scrutiny.
And when the evidence supports a challenge, sometimes the fight has to move from the investigation room to the courtroom.
Taking the Fight to Court
Johmeik Simmons' family did not simply accept the original suicide determination.
They continued investigating, challenged the official conclusion and pursued the matter in court.
The case demonstrates an important principle for families confronting similar circumstances:
A Medical Examiner's determination does not necessarily have to be the final word.
Why the Classification Matters
Few things could be more painful than losing a child, spouse, parent or sibling and then being told that the person took his or her own life when the family believes the evidence points in another direction.
The classification also matters because of what may happen to the criminal investigation.
When a death is officially treated as a suicide rather than a possible homicide, law enforcement may no longer be searching for another person responsible for the death.
That is why a family with legitimate concerns cannot always assume that someone else will continue asking the difficult questions.
Sometimes the family must do it themselves.
With the right legal and investigative team, the evidence can be reviewed again.
Experts can be retained.
Witnesses can be reexamined.
Forensic conclusions can be challenged.
The Medical Examiner can be asked to reconsider its determination.
And, where appropriate, the matter can be taken to court.
The Fight for Answers Does Not Have to End
A Medical Examiner carries enormous authority, and its conclusions deserve serious consideration. But Medical Examiners are not infallible.
When the circumstances surrounding a death genuinely raise questions, families may have options beyond simply accepting the original determination.
The fight over Johmeik Simmons' death shows why independent investigation can matter and why families should understand that an official finding of suicide may not necessarily close every door.
Sometimes obtaining answers requires someone willing to reopen the case, examine the evidence piece by piece, bring in the right experts and, if necessary, challenge the government's conclusion in court.
Abe George is a former homicide prosecutor and experienced trial attorney who represents individuals and families in complex criminal, civil rights and investigative matters. Families with questions concerning the official determination surrounding the death of a loved one can contact the Law Offices of Abe George to discuss whether an independent investigation may be appropriate.
Watch the NBC New York I-Team Report
NBC New York documented Johmeik Simmons' mother's fight to challenge the ruling surrounding her son's death.
A Mother's Battle for Justice
NBC New York I-Team Investigation
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Abe George
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