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Jann Smith has coroner qualifications

Having attended recent political forums and listening to agendas, there are some important facts about the coroner’s race that caught my attention and have not widely been presented in forums or newspaper articles.

Jann Smith, our current county coroner, is the only candidate certified by the Colorado Coroners Association when performing death investigations. Web fact check: Colorado Coroner’s Association. Beverly Begay is not certified by this Colorado governing agency, nor does she meet their requirements for certification.

Jann Smith is currently registered with the American Board of Mediolegal Death Investigators, (Janis Smith, Registered Diplomate # 1016). Web fact check: ABMDI. Begay’s name does not appear on this registry.

Jann Smith has several years experience as a coroner and has performed more than 4,000 death investigations and assisted medical pathologists in more than 800 clinical autopsies. Beverly Begay has no experience as a coroner.

Wouldn’t experience as a coroner, current certification by the State of Colorado and a current national AMBDI registration be significant, especially when thinking of the medical and legal implications of death investigations?

Jann Smith has an outstanding professional reputation and is endorsed by four Colorado coroners, including Dr. Carol Huser, who served Durango as coroner for seven years and worked directly with Smith. Smith has been nationally recognized three times for her work by Cambridge Who’s Who? which includes one recognition as “Professional of the Year in Forensic Science.”

Smith keeps current on professional issues, attends trainings and conferences within her field to provide La Plata County with excellence as a coroner.

Jann Smith should be retained as county coroner. Your vote matters!

Judith Jones

Durango



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