Connecticut's budget impasse is putting the state medical examiner's office at risk of losing national accreditation.
The office has a deadline of Tuesday to show the National Association of Medical Examiners that it has addressed a short-staffing problem.
The state medical examiner’s office was downgraded to partial accreditation earlier this year because there are only seven forensic pathologists performing more than 325 autopsies a year.
Chief Medical Examiner James Gill says he needs two more pathologists to regain full accreditation. But the state still hasn't approved a budget for this fiscal year.
Gill is asking the association to allow more time during the budget impasse. He's worried that losing accreditation could hurt the credibility of his office's death investigations.
