Chapter 13
"I call Dr. Foster to the stand."
After taking the oath, the older man sat down and faced the courtroom. The DA stood and approached the witness stand.
"Dr. Foster, please tell the court your current position."
"I serve as the Deputy Medical Examiner for this county."
"Dr. Foster, what are the guidelines for an autopsy in the State of New Hampshire?"
"Any death that is suspicious or meets the legal circumstances must have an autopsy performed. There are twenty-five circumstances which would require an autopsy."
"Did President Bartlet's death fall into any of these categories?"
"Not at the time."
"Please explain your answer."
"At the time, his death was expected due to the course of his illness. However, now that questions have arisen about the cause of his death, it would have been advisable to do so."
"Dr. Foster, was there any autopsy performed on President Bartlet after his death?"
"Like I stated earlier, initially his death did not meet any of the required circumstances."
"Why not?"
"I asked Mrs. Bartlet about the circumstances regarding his death and her reply was that the cause of death was obvious. The ex-President had been suffering from metastatic lung cancer for several months and that was the cause of death."
"You spoke to Mrs. Bartlet at the time of his death?"
"Yes. The hospice caring for him has to notify me of all deaths in the county."
"Dr. Foster, have you performed an autopsy on the ex-President since his death?"
"No."
"Why not?"
"The drug Mrs. Bartlet allegedly used has been replaced by embalming fluid and would not show on any tests."
"Thank you, Dr. Foster. Ms. Sawyer, your witness."
"No questions."