Current through Register No. 12, March 21, 2024
(a) Upon arrival at the location of the
remains, the ME shall take control of the scene in coordination with the
responding law enforcement agency so as to preserve any evidence that might
help to establish identity of the deceased, the cause of death, and the manner
of death.
(b) The responding ME
shall examine and document the condition of the remains and the scene, as well
as collecting applicable demographic and other data regarding the deceased,
using Form ME-1, "DME/ADME Investigation Report" as described in
Jus
2005.01.
(c) Examination of the remains shall include,
to the extent indicated for the determination of the cause of death and manner
of death or the preservation of evidence, any of the following types of
examination:
(1) Photographic or other imaging
processes;
(2) Dental;
(3) Entomological; and
(4) Collection and preservation of tissue and
other samples from the remains.
(d) Personal Effects shall be processed as
follows:
(1) If an autopsy is ordered, the
responding ME shall take into possession all personal effects and any other
items, other than medication, that are pertinent to the death investigation.
Such items shall be vouchered, using Form ME-4 "Evidence or Property Inventory
and Chain of Custody" as described in
Jus
2005.05. Such items shall be placed in tamper proof
evidence bags or containers or, if the items are found on the body, shall
remain with the body and transported with it from the scene;
(2) If no autopsy is ordered, but the ME
determines that certain items or personal effects, other than medication, are
pertinent to a determination of the cause and manner of death, the ME shall
voucher the items on Form ME-4 and bag each item in a tamper proof evidence
bag. Such items shall be delivered to the OCME as soon as possible after being
taken in possession, but in no case later than 72 hours;
(3) All other personal effects shall be
vouchered on a separate form and turned over to the next of kin, through the
funeral home, with the voucher form. Chain of custody shall be maintained on
all vouchered items not turned over to the next of kin, so as to preserve the
evidentiary value of such items for use in any future legal proceeding;
and
(4) The personal effects
pertaining to unclaimed bodies or unidentified remains shall be inventoried and
released with the remains.
(e) Medications pertinent to the
investigation shall taken into custody and vouchered using Form ME-3
"Drug/Medication Inventory Form" as described in
Jus
2005.04 and placed in separate tamper proof evidence
bags or containers as follows:
(1) If the
local law enforcement agency has not already responded to the scene, the ME
shall contact the agency and request that an officer respond to assist in the
inventory and securing of medications. Once the officer arrives, the ME shall
inventory and voucher any medications being seized, in the officer's presence,
using Form ME-3 "Drug/Medication Inventory Form." The officer shall sign off as
a witness on the Drug/Medication Inventory Form, verifying that the inventory
was done in his or her presence. The ME shall seal each container of medication
with tamper evident tape provided by the OCME. The completed form and the
sealed medication containers shall be placed in a sealed evidence
bag;
(2) If it has been determined
that an autopsy will be performed on the body, the sealed container shall be
placed in the body bag, which shall also be sealed, for transportation to the
morgue; and
(3) If no autopsy will
be performed, the police officer shall take custody of the sealed bag and
deliver it to the police department where it shall be maintained in a secure
location.
(f) To the
extent necessary to establish the deceased's identity, cause of death, or
manner of death, the following persons, if available and willing, shall be
interviewed by or at the direction of the responding ME:
(1) Each person known to be present at the
time of death;
(2) Each emergency
responder or other health care provider who provided potentially pertinent
treatment, care, or transport prior to or immediately after the
death;
(3) Law enforcement and
firefighting personnel responding to the scene;
(4) Family members; and
(5) Any person who resided with the
deceased.
(g) The
responding ME shall consult with responding law enforcement and emergency
responders for the purpose of gathering their observations, questions, and
suggestions relevant to investigation of the deceased's identity, cause of
death, and manner of death.
(h) The
responding ME shall display his/her official identification at all times when
at scenes.
(i) The responding ME
shall not allow any person to accompany the ME during any phase of a death
investigation or cremation investigation unless that person has been given
official OCME identification and authorized by the CME or DCME to accompany the
ME.
#8937, eff
7-14-07
