The Bunche Center welcomed acclaimed UCLA scholar and author Dr. Terence Keel for a thought-provoking discussion of his groundbreaking book, The Coroner’s Silence: Death Records and the Hidden Victims of Police Violence. At a moment when questions of policing, state violence, and institutional accountability remain central to national debate, the conversation examined the often-overlooked role that medical and forensic systems play in perpetuating police violence.
During the event, Dr. Keel shared how death investigations and coroners’ reports frequently obscure the structural conditions surrounding police violence, effectively limiting public recognition of systemic harm against Black communities. The discussion pushed audiences to think critically about how scientific institutions, bureaucratic processes, and official records can reinforce racial inequities while presenting themselves as objective or neutral.
The event reflects the Bunche Center’s commitment to convening conversations that connect scholarship with urgent issues. By examining the intersections of race, policing, and the “neutrality” of medicine and forensics, the discussion challenged attendees to reconsider how knowledge is produced, whose experiences are validated, and what accountability requires.
