A recent audit has uncovered significant misclassifications in the handling of in-custody deaths in Maryland, with at least 36 such cases identified as having been improperly ruled non-homicides. The investigation points to failures by the former chief medical examiner, Dr. David Fowler, who has misclassified police custody deaths that should have been treated as homicides. The findings have prompted calls for systemic reforms in the Maryland Office of the Chief Medical Examiner and raised concerns about potential racial biases in the autopsy process. The audit highlights the need for improved oversight and accountability in the classification of deaths resulting from police restraint.