Jurisdiction of the Coroner

Perhaps the most visible job a coroner does concerns the investigation of deaths. The coroner is not required to investigate every death or even view every body. He may exercise his discretion and perform an autopsy in any case he deems necessary. The coroner is, however, required to
perform an autopsy in the case of any death where there is a reasonable probability that the violation of a criminal statute has contributed to the death, unless the family of the deceased objects to the autopsy on religious grounds. In this situation, an autopsy shall not be performed unless the coroner finds that the facts surrounding the death require that an autopsy be performed in the interest of the public safety, public health, or public welfare.

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The following are excerpts from LRS 33:1563. For more information as to the role, jurisdiction, and duties of the coroner, refer to said code.

A) The coroner shall either view the body or make an investigation into the cause and manner of death in all cases involving the following:

(1) Suspicious, unexpected, or unusual deaths.

(2) Sudden or violent deaths.

(3) Deaths due to unknown or obscure causes or in any unusual manner.

(4) Bodies found dead.

(5) Deaths without an attending physician within thirty-six hours prior to the hour of death.

(6) Deaths due to suspected suicide or homicide.

(7) Deaths in which poison is suspected.

(8) Any death from natural causes occurring in a hospital under twenty-four hours admission unless seen by a physician hi the last thirty-six hours.

(9) Deaths following an injury or accident either old or recent.

(10) Deaths due to drowning, hanging, burns, electrocution, gunshot wounds, stabs or cutting, lightning, starvation, radiation, exposure, alcoholism, addiction, tetanus, strangulation, suffocation, or smothering.

(11) Deaths due to trauma from whatever cause.

(12) Deaths due to criminal means or by casualty.

(13) Deaths in prison or while serving a sentence.

(14) Deaths due to virulent contagious disease that might be caused by or cause a public hazard, including acquired immune deficiency syndrome.

C)The coroner shall perform or cause to be performed by a competent physician an autopsy in all cases of infants under the age of one year who die unexpectedly without explanation