Pols Push Bill To Clarify Classification Of 9/11-Related Deaths

http://www.ny1.com/ny1/content/index...id=6&aid=76145

December 03, 2007

Lawmakers joined World Trade Center site recovery workers and victims families for a protest outside of the city medical examiner's office Sunday to announce that they will push for legislation that would clarify the city's position regarding the deaths of September 11th first responders. NY1’s Lindley Pless filed the following report.

"Shame on them. Shame on them,” said Norman Siegel, an attorney who was among those protesting outside the city medical examiner’s office Sunday.

Siegel’s outrage was re-ignited last week when the medical examiner refused to review the death of a city police officer who worked at the World Trade Center site because his efforts began on September 13th, less than 48 hours after the towers came down.

Those of us who are here today – and you will hear from various speakers, object to the medical examiner's analysis – his reasoning, and conclusion, which we submit is arbitrary, illogical, inhumane, and not consistent with the principles and values of New York City,” said Seigel, who, along with a handful of local politicians and family members affected by 9/11, gathered outside the M.E.’s office Sunday afternoon.

In June, Dr. Charles Hirsch sent a letter to the family of 44-year-old Officer James Godbee saying his cause of death would remain classified "natural."

Godbee worked hundreds of hours at the WTC site. He died of a heart attack in 2004 due to an inflammatory disease that causes scarring of the lungs and other organs.

Some lawmakers feel the M.E.'s office may be labeling deaths similar to Godbee's incorrectly because of a logistical issue. They're proposing a bill that will allow the cause of death for first responders to be redefined so their families will receive the medical and financial help they deserve from the city.

"The M.E. must change his decision,” said Brooklyn State Senator Eric Adams. “My bill will be introduced next week, and I am asking all of my colleagues on both sides of the aisle – if the law is in the way, my bill will remove the impediment and allow the medical examiner to indicate clearly how these heroes died."

For family members like Jimmy Richards, a firefighter who lost his son on 9/11 and who is also experiencing respiratory problems from working at the site after the attacks, the message is clear.

We went down there and all we heard was, ‘Never forget. America is never going to forget 9/11.’ Well, they've got a short memory,” he says.

The medical examiner's office declined to comment on Sunday's protest.