PHILADELPHIA — The City of Philadelphia today released the independent reports from Dechert LLP and Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads LLP focused on the City’s possession of human remains from the 1985 bombing of the MOVE organization and the policies and procedures of the Medical Examiner’s Office. The reports come just over a year after the City announced that it would undertake such a comprehensive investigation.

The Administration retained two law firms to conduct the investigation, Dechert LLP and Montgomery McCracken Walker & Rhoads LLP (MMWR). The investigative process included more than 70 interviews with current and former City employees, MOVE Commission personnel, outside experts, legal counsel, and members of the victims’ families. The investigations also involved site visits and an extensive document collection and review from the City’s archives, Temple University’s Special Collections Research Center, and various funeral homes and cemeteries.

Part I of the investigation focused on the handling of the MOVE remains from 1985 to the present and an examination of the contemporary evidence related to the remains of MOVE victims that were or are currently at the MEO, including the destruction of toxicology samples from victims in 2009, the discovery of the MEO Box in 2017, and the rediscovery of the MEO Box in 2021. This portion of the investigation was conducted by Dechert LLP pro bono.

Parts II and III of the investigation, conducted by MMWR, focused on reviewing the policies and practices of the MEO and making recommendations to enhance them through a racial equity lens. This portion of the report also details the MOVE victim remains that were transferred to Drs. Alan Mann and Janet Monge, anthropologists associated with the University of Pennsylvania (“Penn”) and Princeton University, in 1986, that were later discovered to still be in Dr. Monge’s possession.

“I am grateful to our investigative teams from Dechert LLP and Montgomery, McCracken Walker & Rhoads LLP whose dedication and diligent work have contributed much needed answers to questions that arose last year after the discovery of human remains from MOVE victims still in the City’s possession. The tragedy of the MOVE bombing in 1985 and the decades-long trauma it has has inflicted on family members, neighbors and City residents is something that we will never completely heal from,” said Mayor Jim Kenney. “The events of 2021 exposed flaws and shortcomings in City procedures, and the passage of decades since the initial mishandling of the victim’s remains compounded the issues we were faced with and had to try and unravel.”

“While I know the reports did not answer every question we have around the remains we found last year, I remain hopeful that we can give some additional comfort and closure to family members after they review the report and we discuss our next steps with them,” added Mayor Kenney. “Additionally, by examining the policies and procedures of the MEO through a racial equity lens and by consulting with experts from across the country, we will move forward with recommendations on new policies and procedures with an eye towards equity and inclusion.”

In response to the issues laid out in the report, the Department of Public Health and Medical Examiner’s Office issued a response about the progress and feasibility of many of the recommendations.

“We are grateful to the authors of the reports for their thoroughness and insights and commit to using these findings to improve our processes, the equity with which we do our work, and to win back the trust of the community,” said Dr. Cheryl Bettigole, Philadelphia’s Health Commissioner. “Some of the changes recommended are already in process, while others may be more challenging to implement due to funding or logistical constraints. In addition to the changes recommended by the investigators, we are committed to working with the families of the victims to identify a respectful plan for how to handle the remains and will be reaching out in the near future to initiate those conversations.”

Two of the report’s recommendations are that the MEO to amend the death certificates of all 11 MOVE bombing victims, 1) updating the cause of death and 2) reflecting that the manner of death was homicide and not accident. The MEO plans to review and update the death certificates.

The full report, along with the Philadelphia Department of Public Health and Medical Examiner’s Office response, is available online.