Remember Morning Murderer's murdered intern's "medical examiner"?
Man Charged After More Than 100 Body Parts Found in Storage Container
Michael Berkland faces five years in prison for storing more than 100 body parts September 8, 2012 — A former Florida assistant medical examiner is facing up to five years in prison for storing more than 100 body parts, including brains and hearts, in a Pensacola storage container. Michael Berkland was arrested Friday on one count of improper disposal/storage of hazardous waste and one count of public nuisance, according to the State's Attorney. When he was arrested, it was discovered that he was driving with a suspended license, so he was charged for that, too.
Berkland, 57, spent several hours in jail Friday before bonding out, ABC News affiliate WEAR-TV reported. For the improper storage charge, Berkland faces up to five years in prison. He could face up to 60 days in jail on the public nuisance charge.
Lungs, hearts, tissue samples and 10 brains were found Aug. 22 in a storage container at Uncle Bob's Storage that Berkland was renting, according to Pensacola police. There were body parts from more than 100 people found in the air conditioned unit. They were stored in formaldehyde in plastic containers, specimen cups, trash bags and one part even in a 32-ounce Styrofoam cup from a convenience store, according to police. Some of the containers were cracked and leaking. Police said they believe the remains are from autopsies Berkland did between 1997 and 2007 at funeral homes in Pensacola, Tallahassee, Fort Walton Beach, and Panama City. Some of the containers had patient names and autopsy dates on them while others were blank.
After an autopsy, normal procedure is for for doctors to keep a tissue sample for a year in case further tests are needed, the medical examiner told WEAR-TV, adding that there is no reason to keep an entire organ. https://abcnews.go.com/US/man-charged-100-body-parts-found-storage-container/story?id=17190455
Prior to that: “Former Jackson County coroner Mike Berkland provides the brains for a scandal in Florida” Pitch Weekly: Kansas City Strip, Aug. 30, 2001. November 21, 2001—Prior to coming to northwest Florida, Dr. Michael E. Berkland served as Deputy Medical Examiner for Jackson County, Missouri, from 1994 to 1996. He was terminated from the medical examiner’s office because he did not perform his duties as a medical examiner in a timely manner. He later lost the authority to perform autopsies in Missouri when the Circuit Court of Jackson County found that he had indeed falsified autopsy reports. Finally, in March 1999, Dr. Berkland lost his license to practice medicine of any kind in the state. https://web.archive.org/web/20030522152023/http://onlinejournal.com/archive/11-21-01_Wright-George-printable.pdf