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Resident urges district attorney to adopt policy: don’t prosecute homicides without evidence of death
Summary
A public commenter asked the Multnomah County Board to compel the district attorney to adopt a policy requiring a coroner or medical examiner finding of death before pursuing homicide charges, citing a local case and a published Oregonian investigation.
During the public‑comment period, Jared Esig urged the Multnomah County Board of Commissioners to press the county’s elected district attorney to adopt a policy that would require evidence of death — for example, a medical examiner's report or death certificate — before filing homicide charges.
Esig said the call follows an Oregonian investigation he cited (published Sept. 12, 2024) that described a case in which a homicide prosecution proceeded but the supposed victim later turned out to be alive. He referenced ‘‘State versus Adam Gregg’’ and told the board that Presiding Judge Judith Matarazzo, he said, indicated support for a local court rule aligning with that policy.
Esig asked the board to “compel the district attorney to act” and argued that prosecuting homicide cases without clear evidence undermines public confidence in prosecutors and courts. The comments were submitted during public testimony; the board did not take action on the request during the meeting and referred to the district attorney’s office for consideration.
