While the N. London area coroner feels she is being “harassed” and “traumatized” by the Jewish community, the frum Yidden of the area accuse Coroner Mary Hassell of ignoring their religious beliefs and the community is moving ahead with legal action against the coroner’s office
Hassel however explains she is not just dealing with legal issues, but she fears violence will be used against her and her staff amid a growing number of complaints from the Jewish community, citing “hundreds of complains” detailing violations of religious rights by her and her officer. The UK media quotes Hassell saying that she has been falsely accused of anti-Semitism. The media sites one case in which “60 Orthodox Jews refused to let undertakers take the body of a man whose body they wanted to pray over”.
She has turned the situation around and blames the N. London Jewish community for causing suffering to others for the Jewish community is taking up too much of her time and she is unable to deal with other bodies. It is explained the need of Jews to bury the dead immediately is causing the delays to others.
The case by the frum community will be heard in the High Court, where the Jewish community will call for high-teach non-invasive scans instead of invasive autopsies which negate halacha. They explain in the overwhelming number of cases the non-invasive scan is sufficient to determine cause of death.
In a letter to her bosses at Camden Council, Mrs. Hassell writes: “I look forward to hearing how you intend to support those who work within the service for which you have statutory responsibility, and protect them from bullying, intimidation and the threat of violence.”
The UK “The Mail” quotes Rabbi Asher Gratt as saying, “The Jewish community is increasingly traumatized by Mrs. Hassell’s conduct. It’s getting to the point where elderly people are scared to die in England – literally.
“I’m actually aware of at least one elderly couple who have happily lived in the UK since the Second World War but who have now emigrated permanently due to their fear of being subjected to unnecessary delays of their funerals when they pass away – or, worse still, a post-mortem autopsy.”
It is up to the coroner’s officer to determine if a body can be released for kvura without an autopsy, having it detail a cause of death. When the coroner’s officer cannot immediately determine cause of death, kvura is often delayed for a number of days – hence the outrage among the frum community as well as the local Muslim community.
(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)
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4 Responses
It is unusual to come across
Anti-Semitism so bare
If blame should be laid Jewish community it could be thus:
Where, o where,were they when these procedures were being legislated?
Autopsies in UK are the norm. We were lucky that the GP signed off on my father’s death certificate immediately (in the hope of avoiding a lawsuit because he was responsible – it worked.) At least my father was spared that & so were we. This particular coroner is known to be very disrespectful of Halacha & kovod haMeis. I wonder what she does when it’s a Muslim l’havdil. Bet she jumps through hoops for them.
This woman causes no end of hassle for the Jewish community. She recently held up the burial of a lady in her 90s who died in hospital, for five days causing untold grief to the family. Other coroners in London show respect and understanding for the Jewish and Moslem communities; she shows contempt and disdain. Genuinely suspicious deaths of course need to be investigated but casting suspicion where it does not exist only causes additional heartache to already grieving relatives
#2 #3
She is a wicked..
Where, o where,were you (plural) when these procedures were being legislated?
You ought to be more proactive
Now you scream?