Coroner Seeks and Obtains Permission to Release Amended Autopsy Report 

After the recent ruling by Adams County District Judge Seedorf, Adams County Coroner Monica Broncucia-Jordan filed an emergency motion with the Denver District Court in hopes the court would authorize the release of the amended autopsy report for Elijah McClain. That motion was granted today by Judge Baumann.   

“Openness and transparency are at the heart of good government,” said Broncucia-Jordan. “I believe in the public’s right to information and want to be transparent about the work done in my office. I also respect the rule of law and want to ensure nothing is released that will violate any court order or potentially jeopardize the prosecutions in this case. That is why it was imperative to have the Denver District Court weigh in.”  

The coroner was under an order from Denver District Court to not provide the amended autopsy report to anyone. Last month, Coroner Broncucia-Jordan asked the Attorney General if her office could release the report and was instructed not to do so. “Because it is derived from grand jury materials, the release of the amended autopsy report without an order of the court could be construed as a violation of grand jury secrecy,” said the Attorney General’s Office.  

This direction by the Attorney General was later supported by Adams County Judge Seedorf who acknowledged she would have to redact a majority of the document, “the coroner can’t produce the unredacted autopsy report under the oath she’s taken.”  

However, the coroner believed the report should be made public. “I believe as an elected official I have a democratic duty to provide citizens with information. Openness in government is imperative for an informed public, and an informed public is necessary to democracy.”   

Following the order from Judge Seedorf, Coroner Broncucia-Jordan filed an emergency motion with Denver District Court that ultimately allowed her to release the report in its entirety.   

“This is a win for the people of Adams County and every family here in Colorado. Openness prevails,” said Broncucia-Jordan. The public will be able to see the full autopsy report tomorrow, Sept. 23, at noon on the Adams County Coroner’s page: officeofthecoroner.com.