A fired employee of the Lubbock County Medical Examiner’s office announced a lawsuit against the medical examiner, Dr. Sam Andrews, NAAG Pathology Labs, and Dr. Evan Matshes for $1 million or more.
The former employee, Tita “Senee” Graves, accused the office of Lubbock County Medical Examiner of unnecessarily taking body parts and shipping them “to NAAG’s lab in California for research purposes.”
A press release on Wednesday concerning the lawsuit accused the medical examiner and NAAG of acting like “body snatchers.”
CLICK HERE for a video replay of the press conference by Graves and her attorney. CLICK HERE to read a copy of the lawsuit.
“Ms. Graves is a hero for exposing these California body snatchers who have taken over the Lubbock County Medical Examiner’s Office,” said attorney Kevin Glasheen in a press release. “Of course, they immediately fired her for doing so – and now we are going to make them pay.”
“Graves was fired after she observed and reported potentially illegal and suspicious activity within the Medical Examiner’s Office – including autopsies performed by an unlicensed physician,” the press release said.
The lawsuit itself claims that an autopsy was done on a child who died of meningitis in September. The lawsuit said the autopsy went further than necessary because Dr. Matshes wanted tissue samples from children so he could do medical research.
“Many other employees quit over the next few months, many of them because they were upset by what appeared to be unnecessary and inappropriate harvesting of tissue from infants and children, and the unnecessary harvesting of those bodies,” the lawsuit says.
During a Wednesday afternoon press conference, a reporter asked Graves what she might like to say to the families of children autopsied recently in Lubbock County.
“I’m sorry,” Graves answered. “I wish I had more power and more knowledge to have stopped it. I wish I would have thrown my job out the window to help your baby.”
Graves broke down in tears at that point.
The lawsuit quotes Matches as telling Graves before she was fired, LPD is “not completely on your side”.
The lawsuit also quotes Matches as saying, “The Captain and Chief of Police do not agree with you.”
Police Chief Greg Stevens saw the lawsuit from news media reports and responded, saying, “I’ve never said I agree or disagree with anything regarding the M.E.’s office.”
Stevens said he never spoke one way or the other on the matter.
Related Document: Affidavit of Senior Forensic Pathologist Stephen Pustilnik
Related Story: Letter from ME gives instruction to harvest organs from child, family says no permission given
EverythingLubbock.com continues to work on this story. Check back for updates.
A copy of the full press release is below.
February 20, 2019
LUBBOCK, Texas—An employment lawsuit has been filed by Senee Graves against NAAG Pathology Labs, PC, Dr. Evan Matshes and Dr. Sam Andrews of the Lubbock Medical Examiner’s Office.
A copy of the lawsuit can be viewed here.
Senee Graves was fired after she observed and reported potentially illegal and suspicious activity within the Medical Examiner’s Office – including autopsies performed by an unlicensed physician, and concerns over shipping excessive numbers of body parts to NAAG’s lab in California for research purposes. Even though Ms. Graves was employed by Lubbock County, the County allowed the contracted doctors to terminate her employment. In her lawsuit, Ms. Graves seeks monetary damages that would make her whole, and damages to punish NAAG, Dr. Matshes, and Dr. Andrews for their actions.
Ms. Graves has not sued Lubbock County, but instead has asked them to reinstate her to her position.
Ms. Graves is represented by attorney Kevin Glasheen of Glasheen, Valles & Inderman.
“Ms. Graves is a hero for exposing these California body snatchers who have taken over the Lubbock County Medical Examiner’s Office,” said attorney Kevin Glasheen. “Of course, they immediately fired her for doing so – and now we are going to make them pay.”
A press conference will be held at 2:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 20, 2019 at the law offices of Glasheen, Valles & Inderman, which is located at 1302 Texas Avenue, Lubbock, TX 79401. Ms. Graves and her attorney will be present for questions.
Glasheen, Valles & Inderman, LLP is a personal injury law firm that focuses on cases resulting in catastrophic injuries and death. The law firm has offices in Lubbock, Austin, San Antonio, Dallas, El Paso, Odessa, and Albuquerque.
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