Police Raid Elected Official's Home to Stop Information

February 4, 2006

Editor's note: Lancaster County District Attorney Don Totaro has NEVER prosecuted any official for violating the Sunshine Law or the Right-to-know law. In fact, his office has a policy in place that they absolutely will not get involved in any of these cases because they are "too insignificant"!

15 vehicles, including two marked police cars, descended onto Lancaster County Coroner Dr. G. Gary Kirchner's 610 Millcross Road home and executed a search warrant to seize all computers in the elected official's home. The only persons home, at the time of the mid-January raid, was the Doctor's daughter-in-law and her two year old child. Several of the raiders watched the toddler while the mother showed the others around the large, rambling estate, assessed by the county at over $600,000. The raiders even stopped to admire Kirchner's various architectural details and openly complimented the historic stain glass window

The raid came as a result of long standing feud between District Attorney Don Totaro and the former surgeon. The out-spoken coroner has riled the chief prosecutor by his candid and revealing attitude in the discharge of his duties. For instance, during the Cortney Fry murder investigation, the Intelligencer Journal printed the details of her death. Totaro was furious for "compromising" the investigation and blamed Kirchner for the leak. The conflict between the two has gotten increasingly worse as more and more information about the work of the coroner's office seemed to be getting out in the news media.

According to sources, the investigation of Kirchner was initiated by Totaro's suggestion to the Pennsylvania Attorney General's office. Tom Corbett, who was endorsed by Totaro, is looking into allegations and was responsible for the raid. The Attorney General's (AG) office refused to comment on the particulars. And what does Dr. Kirchner say about the investigation and raid on his home? The polite and friendly Doctor said "On advice from my counsel, I must decline to comment."

And just what do investigators hope to find on the Doctor's home computers? Speculation from law enforcement, when told of the details, suggested that investigators are looking for email to reporters and others concerning the details of autopsies. And what possible crime is our government spending all of these resources to investigate? Obstruction of justice!

And just where is Lancaster Newspapers in all of this? So far they have refused to print a word despite various staff members getting subpoenas to produce notes and squeal on where they got certain information. Are they participating in a cover-up OR are they being bullied by the District Attorney? We were unable to get sources at the newspaper to talk about the subject.

District Attorney Don Totaro admitted referring the allegation to the AG's office but said he did so to avoid a "conflict of interest" due to his open feud. He denied having any knowledge of the details of the investigation.

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