Witness Testimony

Michael MacIver testified that he has worked as a funeral director and embalmer for over 40 years and has embalmed thousands of bodies. He explained the distinction between typical post-mortem red “jelly-like” clots and ante-mortem white fibrous clots formed through hemostasis prior to death. While he had occasionally encountered white fibrous clots during his career, he testified that beginning around May or June 2021 he observed a marked increase in their frequency and size, often present in nearly every embalming. He stated this pattern was unprecedented in his professional experience.
MacIver described the clots as significantly larger and more resistant than typical clots, requiring him to adopt a restricted embalming technique designed to expand the vascular system in order to facilitate removal. He acknowledged that he lacks a scientific explanation for the phenomenon but stated that the increase coincided with the COVID period and vaccine implementation. He also referenced awareness of international reports concerning clotting events associated with certain vaccines and said this prompted closer professional observation.
He further testified that bodies during the pandemic were often clearly marked “COVID+,” and that early messaging generated significant fear among funeral professionals. Over time, he stated he did not personally observe the level of contagion initially anticipated. He emphasized that while he cannot prove causation, the volume and consistency of the white fibrous clots observed in 2021 differed significantly from his prior four decades of practice.