Coroner to Take Macabre Marketing Into Canada

The merchandising of death, L.A. style, will soon go international under a deal approved Tuesday by the County Board of Supervisors.

The board, over the objections of an outraged Supervisor Ed Edelman, approved a marketing deal between the county coroner’s office and a Canadian retailing concern to sell macabre coroner’s memorabilia north of the border.

Though there were plenty of giggles from officials listening to the debate, coroner’s officials say they are deadly serious about the marketing plan.

The coroner’s office has sold more than $150,000 worth of items such as beach towels with a chalk outline of a body, toe tags usually used to identify bodies but are also suitable as key chains, and T-shirts featuring the office mascot, Sherlock Bones, a skeletal takeoff on the famous investigator.

Tony Hernandez, interim director of the coroner’s office, said the Canadian franchise deal could bring in an additional $40,000. All proceeds are used to fund the department’s youth drunk-driving program.

Despite the good cause, Edelman said the program may not be worth the cost to Los Angeles’s image.

“We have enough problems in a county known for its high death rates from gang violence,” Edelman said. “By marketing the coroner’s office we open ourselves up to losing more than we gain. It’s continuing the idea that Los Angeles is a dangerous place.”

Still, Hernandez said, “reaction to the program so far has been very positive.” And, he pointed out for the benefit of the more squeamish board members, toe tags sold to the public are unused.