Time may be up for chief forensic pathologist

Deputy Health Minister Yaakov Litzman intimated on Monday that Dr. Yehuda Hiss, chief pathologist at Abu Kabir Forensic Institute, may be released from his post soon.

Litzman appointed a committee to carry out a 30-day investigation into Hiss’s conduct and his running of the institute after receiving numerous complaints from the public and medical officials about him.

The committee is to coordinate with the office of Attorney General Yehuda Weinstein.

The Health Ministry is currently organizing proper burials for more than 8,000 body parts that were mishandled during autopsies by the institute between the years 2000 and 2011.

A Yedioth Ahronoth article Monday stated that corpses apparently mishandled include those of entertainer Dudu Topaz, radio presenter Shosh Atari, and IDF chief of staff Rafael Eitan. Other families are still reportedly in negotiations with the state regarding improprieties in the treatment of their relatives’ bodies at Abu Kabir.

The news of the investigation comes on the heels of claims that Hiss obstructed justice and committed perjury in the case of Denis Eisen, who was convicted of murdering his son in 2000. Chief public defender Yoav Sapir sent a letter to the attorney general asking him to bring charges against Hiss last week.

Eisen was convicted of the murder of his infant son Ron, based on a pathological report from Abu Kabir that stated Ron died of head injuries, and sentenced to 20 years in prison.

Eisen, who maintained his innocence, was awarded a retrial in 2005. When the forensic institute claimed to have no remains of the infant’s body except those that were submitted to the court, Eisen pled guilty to manslaughter. In fact, it was recently established, the institute did retain some physical evidence.

“I hope they finally get rid of him,” Eisen said, referring to Hiss, in an interview with Israel Radio.”He causes people harm.”

Hiss had been accused of misconduct as chief pathologist years ago, but was allowed to remain in the post.

Revelations in January that the institute had kept more than 8,000 body parts in storage after autopsies caused an uproar.

Hiss had admitted in 2005 that the institute had harvested heart valves, skin, and bones from the bodies, but said that the practice had ceased