Found Deceased IL - Jelani 'JJ' Day, 25, ISU grad student, missed class, Bloomington, 23 Aug 2021 #2

[branmuffin]

Does this really change anything?

Pritzker signs Jelani Day Bill into law

SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WCIA) — Governor Pritzker signed into law on Monday a bill that was directly inspired by the disappearance and death of Jelani Day. The bill requires Illinois coroners to n…

www.wcia.com

It's illogical. Either that or it's pandering. How many bodies are found where LE are never able to identify the remains? It's why Websleuths exist. Thousands upon thousands of unidentified remains. Remains that obviously met foul play, remains that died of natural causes, and remains that COD is unknown. Is FBI supposed to be called in if a homeless person is found deceased? Someone without ID? What are the FBI supposed to do?

 

[NoSpoonFeeding]

It's illogical. Either that or it's pandering. How many bodies are found where LE are never able to identify the remains? It's why Websleuths exist. Thousands upon thousands of unidentified remains. Remains that obviously met foul play, remains that died of natural causes, and remains that COD is unknown. Is FBI supposed to be called in if a homeless person is found deceased? Someone without ID? What are the FBI supposed to do?

The Bill does not, and could not, require the FBI to be called out/involved. I don't disagree with the alternative to it being illogical.

 

[hooziewhutz]

It's illogical. Either that or it's pandering. How many bodies are found where LE are never able to identify the remains? It's why Websleuths exist. Thousands upon thousands of unidentified remains. Remains that obviously met foul play, remains that died of natural causes, and remains that COD is unknown. Is FBI supposed to be called in if a homeless person is found deceased? Someone without ID? What are the FBI supposed to do?

There are many ways to identify a body without having a home or ID card on their person. LE *should* be working tirelessly to get an identification upon discovery of a body so they *should* not have a problem doing so within the window-before-FBI. And if they aren't able to, therein lies [part of] the problem. Heck, maybe this law would help LE speed up the process, especially in cases where the person could be otherwise shrugged off as "not important enough". MOO

 

[NoSpoonFeeding]

There are many ways to identify a body without having a home or ID card on their person. LE *should* be working tirelessly to get an identification upon discovery of a body so they *should* not have a problem doing so within the window-before-FBI. And if they aren't able to, therein lies [part of] the problem. Heck, maybe this law would help LE speed up the process, especially in cases where the person could be otherwise shrugged off as "not important enough". MOO

This Bill is not going to speed up the process of identifying a body. Notifying the FBI that there is an unidentified body is not going to speed up the process. In my experience and opinion, it is the Medical Examiner/Coroner that make most of the identifications of bodies. The gold standard is DNA match to a relative or known sample of the deceased, and that's going to be done routinely in some jurisdictions, even if there is an intact face or very distinct/unusual identifiable feature (recorded fingerprints, surgery/implants, dental, tattoos). Even with an intact face, with the unidentified person's photo, or a drawn likeness, it takes time to be distributed and recognized. If DNA has to be extracted from a tooth or a bone (as in Jelani's case) it will take longer. If the dental records are not immediately available (archived or not the most recent available are received, as it was in Jelani's case too), there will be a delay.
Sometimes there's a backlog on autopsies, sometimes the investigation can't start immediately. It would make more sense if the reporting time to the FBI was several months instead of several days.
In my opinion, there was no unreasonable timespan in identifying Jelani's body. The published emails show the need for bone extracted DNA and why the (usable) dental records arrived when they did.

 

[BeckyF]

It's illogical. Either that or it's pandering. How many bodies are found where LE are never able to identify the remains? It's why Websleuths exist. Thousands upon thousands of unidentified remains. Remains that obviously met foul play, remains that died of natural causes, and remains that COD is unknown. Is FBI supposed to be called in if a homeless person is found deceased? Someone without ID? What are the FBI supposed to do?

I completely agree. What is the FBI supposed to do? Bring in their own ME? This law was written to appease someone, IMO.

 

[Seattle1]

It's illogical. Either that or it's pandering. How many bodies are found where LE are never able to identify the remains? It's why Websleuths exist. Thousands upon thousands of unidentified remains. Remains that obviously met foul play, remains that died of natural causes, and remains that COD is unknown. Is FBI supposed to be called in if a homeless person is found deceased? Someone without ID? What are the FBI supposed to do?

Exactly. And the rub here is that most recovered bodies are not formally, and/or legally identified (i.e., positive identification) within 72 hours to begin with! It takes a few days to match/process DNA samples, obtain the victim's dental records, etc.

IMO, this all stemmed from Gabby Petito being tentatively identified by her step-dad (by a unique tattoo) on the day she was recovered whereas the ME required Jelani's dental records for positive identification, and these records, through no fault of the state, were fractured since JD visited several different clinics over the years and did not have one dentist.

I recall the first dental records obtained by the ME were not his most current dental work and when the ME was able to track down later dental records, he rejoiced and immediately contacted CBD where he was severely chastised for being able to advance the identification process of JD sooner than he estimated.

Understanding that CBD wanted with her entire being to believe that JD was still alive and missing, and the body recovered from the river 19 days earlier was not her son, this led to the reported confrontation with the short-lived family lawyer after the ME allegedly asked if she wanted JD positively identified or not. MOO

(Recalling the short-lived family lawyer was among others responsible for perpetuating false information about the ME gouging out the eyeballs, -- unforgivable false info).

 

[branmuffin]

There are many ways to identify a body without having a home or ID card on their person. LE *should* be working tirelessly to get an identification upon discovery of a body so they *should* not have a problem doing so within the window-before-FBI. And if they aren't able to, therein lies [part of] the problem. Heck, maybe this law would help LE speed up the process, especially in cases where the person could be otherwise shrugged off as "not important enough". MOO

There are cases where individuals have been injured and sent to hospital, no ID, obviously homeless from anecdotal information provided by others who were in their sphere. They had nicknames or aliases. They've lain in hospital until they expire. Photos are taken of them and sent out and they are still unidentified. If someone like that isn't identified how do you expect the FBI to identify unidentified remains that are discovered? What will they do differently than most LE agencies?

What about Mostly Harmless? He was found dead in a tent in south Florida in 2018. There were literally dozens of photographs of him interacting with other hikers on the Appalachian Trail. They were plastered all over the place. He had notebooks of code and thousands of dollars on him. It was a fluke that he was finally identified. I doubt the FBI would have provided any input to hasten his identity.

Or the young man who was a Deadhead, killed in a car accident in 1995? He had two tickets to a Grateful Dead concert and tattoos. It took 20 years to identify him. He was on Namus, the DoeNetwork, Websleuths, etc.

I could go on but you get the idea.

 

[BeckyF]

There are many ways to identify a body without having a home or ID card on their person. LE *should* be working tirelessly to get an identification upon discovery of a body so they *should* not have a problem doing so within the window-before-FBI. And if they aren't able to, therein lies [part of] the problem. Heck, maybe this law would help LE speed up the process, especially in cases where the person could be otherwise shrugged off as "not important enough". MOO

Have you followed this case at all? It is not the fault of LE that there was a backlog in getting DNA results from the deceased. I don’t know how the FBI will fix that.

 

[NoSpoonFeeding]

In regards to the Bill, in my opinion, Medical Examiners/Coroners/LE will not be intimidated or pressed to beat a "deadline" of having to report an unidentified body to the FBI. It's not a "deadline" that has any consequences. It's not a negative reflection on their work ethic or their commitment to their profession. Processes needed for each case will take the same amount of time next month as they did last month, depending on all the variables.

 

[Silver Spring]

This Bill is not going to speed up the process of identifying a body. Notifying the FBI that there is an unidentified body is not going to speed up the process. In my experience and opinion, it is the Medical Examiner/Coroner that make most of the identifications of bodies. The gold standard is DNA match to a relative or known sample of the deceased, and that's going to be done routinely in some jurisdictions, even if there is an intact face or very distinct/unusual identifiable feature (recorded fingerprints, surgery/implants, dental, tattoos). Even with an intact face, with the unidentified person's photo, or a drawn likeness, it takes time to be distributed and recognized. If DNA has to be extracted from a tooth or a bone (as in Jelani's case) it will take longer. If the dental records are not immediately available (archived or not the most recent available are received, as it was in Jelani's case too), there will be a delay.
Sometimes there's a backlog on autopsies, sometimes the investigation can't start immediately. It would make more sense if the reporting time to the FBI was several months instead of several days.
In my opinion, there was no unreasonable timespan in identifying Jelani's body. The published emails show the need for bone extracted DNA and why the (usable) dental records arrived when they did.

Considering the state lab did not have the chemical to process the DNA, I also don't think the timespan it took to identify the body was unreasonable. Is this something the Bill would require the FBI to help with as far as providing resources? If not, I don't see the point. It sure doesn't read that way, so IMO it's both illogical and pandering.

 

[Seattle1]

The first anniversary of Jelani's death is less than 3 months away and I hope for continued health and healing for his mother, family, and friends.
All of the students here could also be Jelani. Most of all, I hope CBD can reconcile her religious beliefs that at the moment of suicide, a victim's (of suicide) mind is compromised, and no intent to be sinful. MOO

Parents of college students who died by suicide unite for 'powerful moment' of healing

College suicide is a leading concern among mental health experts. Families who lived through it share their stories.

www.today.com

5/31/22

Families with a shared nightmare — the death of their college students through suicide — hope their stories can prevent more loss.


On Tuesday, the parents of college athletes Katie Meyer, Arlana Miller, Morgan Rodgers and Tyler Hilinski spoke to TODAY about the legacy of their children.

"It’s a powerful moment for all of us to be together," Gina Meyer, the mother of Katie, tells NBC correspondent Stephanie Gosk on TODAY.

[..]

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, suicide is the second leading cause of death for people between the ages of 10 and 34.

And a study by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) found rates of anxiety, mental exhaustion and depression among student athletes are 1.5 to two times higher than before the pandemic. But less than half of men’s and women's athletes said they would “agree” or “strongly agree” as to whether they would feel comfortable visiting a college mental health center.

 

[Seattle1]

Have you followed this case at all? It is not the fault of LE that there was a backlog in getting DNA results from the deceased. I don’t know how the FBI will fix that.

Considering the state lab did not have the chemical to process the DNA, I also don't think the timespan it took to identify the body was unreasonable. Is this something the Bill would require the FBI to help with as far as providing resources? If not, I don't see the point. It sure doesn't read that way, so IMO it's both illogical and pandering.

^^bbm
Having recently had the opportunity to do a side by side comparison of the existing bill with the new, targeted, bill, I can't help but wonder if specifically naming the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) is an attempt to directly link the role of a federal government agency in the investigation to somehow satisfy a requirement (elements of standing) to commence a federal lawsuit (i.e., civil rights hate crime) pursuant to 18 US Code 242, 249.

We know the family and their attorney previously threatened suit (hate crime) but I mentioned before that I didn't think they had standing to commence a federal suit. MOO

 

[Silver Spring]

Jelani Day's family to launch foundation in his name

A year after he was last seen alive, Jelani Day will have a foundation in his name.

pantagraph.com

 

[Seattle1]

Jelani Day's family to launch foundation in his name

A year after he was last seen alive, Jelani Day will have a foundation in his name.

pantagraph.com

From the link -- confirming the Jelani Day Bill was written especially for people of color:

This year, the Illinois General Assembly passed and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill named for Day that amends the Missing Person Identification Act by requiring a coroner or medical examiner with custody of human remains that are not identified within 72 hours of discovery to notify the FBI for assistance.

The goal of the bill was to address underreported and unsolved missing persons cases, especially those involving people of color.

 

[5W's]

From the link -- confirming the Jelani Day Bill was written especially for people of color:

This year, the Illinois General Assembly passed and Gov. J.B. Pritzker signed a bill named for Day that amends the Missing Person Identification Act by requiring a coroner or medical examiner with custody of human remains that are not identified within 72 hours of discovery to notify the FBI for assistance.

The goal of the bill was to address underreported and unsolved missing persons cases, especially those involving people of color.

I suppose aything to get unsolved and underreported cases attention and possibly leading to closure and solving the case would be good for everyone regardless of who they were in life.

 

[Seattle1]

I suppose aything to get unsolved and underreported cases attention and possibly leading to closure and solving the case would be good for everyone regardless of who they were in life.

Just as false information was perpetuated about JD's autopsy report, I believe the same is true here about CBD allegedly continuing to search for 19 days (until her son was POSITIVELY identified).

MSM accepted that JD was no longer a missing person and coverage slowed down pending positive identification via DNA/dental records due to the condition of the remains.

IMO, CBD was in denial that the body recovered was her son, and not that she was not informed by Investigators/ME advised that the black male recovered from the river near where the car was abandoned was most likely JD.

I recall when the bill was introduced they did not want NamUS to be notified and/or have the ability to edit/amend missing person data.

I'm not sure the significance of the bill other than an added burden to local LE that even after notifying FBI of the discovery of remains, local LE/ME will still be responsible for identifying the missing person and investigating the case unless evidence of foul play where facts will determine if federal jurisdiction required. MOO

Frequently Asked Questions

View answers to frequently asked questions about the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System (NamUs).

namus.nij.ojp.gov

ETA: Illinois Senate bill 3932.

Very true @5W's. Unfortunately, that was not what SB3932 proposed.

Instead of legislation to serve all the missing, including the underreported and their families, the bill wanted [Illinois] legislation that essentially removed NamUS as a program partner to facilitate prompt identification of human remains, but without answering why.

NamUs is funded and administered by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and managed through a contract with RTI International.

IMO, if a party takes issue with a partner that accepted factual information provided by LE that a missing person was located and/or identified (because the party did not want the missing yet located or wasn't emotionally ready to accept their loved one deceased), then I believe the motivation to suggest a longterm partner organization removed from existing legislation, at the expense of all the missing, should be questioned.

Just the same, if a party wants to promote a brand new or existing organization in Illinois to duplicate or replace services being provided by NamUS, dedicated especially to people of color, that is their right, but not at the expense of others being served by NamUS. MOO

 

[BeckyF]

Very true @5W's. Unfortunately, that was not what SB3932 proposed.

Instead of legislation to serve all the missing, including the underreported and their families, the bill wanted [Illinois] legislation that essentially removed NamUS as a program partner to facilitate prompt identification of human remains, but without answering why.

NamUs is funded and administered by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and managed through a contract with RTI International.

IMO, if a party takes issue with a partner that accepted factual information provided by LE that a missing person was located and/or identified (because the party did not want the missing yet located or wasn't emotionally ready to accept their loved one deceased), then I believe the motivation to suggest a longterm partner organization removed from existing legislation, at the expense of all the missing, should be questioned.

Just the same, if a party wants to promote a brand new or existing organization in Illinois to duplicate or replace services being provided by NamUS, dedicated especially to people of color, that is their right, but not at the expense of others being served by NamUS. MOO

And since CBD has become somewhat of an activist, I feel fairly certain she will hold LE accountable if someone doesn’t follow this law, especially if she has Ben Crump on her side. JMO

 

[Seattle1]

And since CBD has become somewhat of an activist, I feel fairly certain she will hold LE accountable if someone doesn’t follow this law, especially if she has Ben Crump on her side. JMO

I don't think the Bill was very well thought out since it seems to expect that every missing person is the victim of a criminal event. But statistics don't support this to be true.

Also, I can understand a border town state with constant jurisdictional issues and where identifying the missing takes investigators across state lines, and where the FBI probably already has an open file but I think it is an unwarranted burden to first, involve the FBI, and second, put a timeclock on the notification to the FBI.

For example, if the FBI is primarily responsible for counter-intelligence, counter-terrorism, cybercrime, organized crime, public corruption, major thefts, and white-collar crimes, perhaps the better agency partner would be the U.S. Marshals, responsible for capturing anyone who is considered a fugitive. And not that unidentified bodies or their next of kin are all fugitives -- but that they are good at identifying and finding people. JMO

 

[5W's]

Very true @5W's. Unfortunately, that was not what SB3932 proposed.

Instead of legislation to serve all the missing, including the underreported and their families, the bill wanted [Illinois] legislation that essentially removed NamUS as a program partner to facilitate prompt identification of human remains, but without answering why.

NamUs is funded and administered by the National Institute of Justice (NIJ) and managed through a contract with RTI International.

IMO, if a party takes issue with a partner that accepted factual information provided by LE that a missing person was located and/or identified (because the party did not want the missing yet located or wasn't emotionally ready to accept their loved one deceased), then I believe the motivation to suggest a longterm partner organization removed from existing legislation, at the expense of all the missing, should be questioned.

Just the same, if a party wants to promote a brand new or existing organization in Illinois to duplicate or replace services being provided by NamUS, dedicated especially to people of color, that is their right, but not at the expense of others being served by NamUS. MOO

I agree. Thanks for pointing that out. Have they resolved this issue? Or is NamUS in Illinois out? I totally understand about resources, but when there is so much out there to deal with in terms of crime I suppose a compromise is the best that can be done. I hope NamUS is still the main database in Illinois. But I see your point and agree. At the same time although perhaps a compromise to a certain extent may help. IDK just a thought.

 

[Seattle1]

I agree. Thanks for pointing that out. Have they resolved this issue? Or is NamUS in Illinois out?

^^rsbm
Yes, after the Illinois Coroners & Medical Examiners Association opposed the proposed house bill during the second hearing, the issue of removing NamUS was resolved in the rules committee when an astute member pointed out how the existing Act did not preclude any assisting LE, ME, Coroner, or the Illinois State Police from pursuing or contacting any other resource, in addition to NamUS, to identify human remains.

https://www.ilga.gov/house/committees/members.asp?GA=102&committeeID=2675