Demotion of Dr. Noguchi Is Upheld

The state Court of Appeal has upheld a 1984 decision affirming the demotion of Dr. Thomas T. Noguchi from his longtime post as the county’s chief medical examiner-coroner.

Noguchi, who styled himself “Coroner to the Stars,” was ousted from the $69,341-a-year position by the Board of Supervisors in 1982 on grounds that he mismanaged the department and used his office to promote himself in his outside activities.

“There have been many well-publicized hearings and Los Angeles Times’ articles regarding specific problems in the coroner’s office (under Noguchi),” the appellate court said in Friday’s ruling. “There were management audits in 1976 and 1982 along with an independent audit by the grand jury in 1982 in which Dr. Noguchi failed to pass muster.”

The panel added: “This does not denigrate the reputation of Dr. Noguchi, an outstanding pathologist and forensic scientist, but it does indicate that he lacks the managerial skills and administrative ability to run the coroner’s office.”

The Board of Supervisors demoted Noguchi to physician-specialist and he was transferred to the County-USC Medical Center, where he now works as a staff pathologist. In that position, Noguchi’s attorney, Godfrey Isaac, said his client now earns nearly $10,000 a year more than he did as chief medical examiner-coroner.

Noguchi, who had been coroner for 14 years, lost his administrative battle to keep the top job in March, 1983, when the Civil Service Commission voted 4 to 1 to uphold the supervisors’ action.

Denouncing the commission’s ruling as “political rather than factual,” Isaac asked Superior Court Judge Norman L. Epstein to overturn the decision. Epstein upheld the commission, and Isaac took the case to the state Court of Appeal.

Isaac said Friday he will recommend to Noguchi that he appeal the latest decision to the California Supreme Court.