Opinion ID: 1669326
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 2

Heading: authority to order autopsy

Text: Cavin contends that the trial court erred in denying his motion to suppress evidence of an autopsy performed by the State Medical Examiner's Office because the coroner allegedly violated Ark.Code Ann. § 12-12-318 (1987) by delegating his duty to request an autopsy to his deputy, a person not authorized to do so. At the omnibus hearing on the motion to suppress, the court heard the testimony of Gerald Curtis, deputy Pulaski County Coroner. Mr. Curtis testified that when he arrived at the residence, he found the deceased, Todd, and notified the State Crime Lab of the incident and took the body to the crime lab in a coroner's van. The statute in question, Ark.Code Ann. § 12-12-318 (1987), provides in pertinent part: When death occurs in such a manner or under such circumstances as described in XX-XX-XXX, the State Crime Laboratory shall have the power and authority to perform such functions and duties as may be provided by this subchapter. The State Crime Laboratory shall make such examinations or investigations or perform such autopsies to determine the cause of death as the Executive Director of the State Crime Laboratory or his staff deems necessary or as may be requested by the coroner of the county in which death occurs or is discovered, by the prosecuting attorney of the jurisdiction in which death occurs or is discovered, by the sheriff of the county in which death occurs or is discovered, by the chief of police of the city in which death occurs or is discovered, by the Board of Correction or its designee, or the Director of the Department of Correction or its designee, or the Director of the Department of Correction or his designee if the person was in the care, custody or control of the Department of Correction at the time of death. Deputies of elected officers enumerated above shall have no authority to request an autopsy by the State Crime Laboratory. (c) Autopsies or investigations authorized in this section may be conducted without the consent of any person. (d) The Executive Director of the State Crime Laboratory and his staff shall not, as part of their official duties, perform any autopsy at the request of any private citizen or any public official other than those enumerated in this section. (Emphasis added.) Cavin argues that this statute was violated because Gerald Curtis, a deputy coroner, requested the autopsy, and the statute states specifically that deputies of elected officials enumerated above shall have no authority to request an autopsy by the State Crime Laboratory. However, the Pulaski County Coroner, Steve Nawojczyk, testified that he went to the crime scene, observed the body, and ordered it photographed and sent to the crime lab. As he is the coroner of the county where the body was discovered, there was no violation of Ark.Code Ann. § 12-12-318 (1987), and the trial court did not err in admitting the results of the autopsy.