Alaska Statutes 12.65.020 – Medical death investigations

(a) When a death is reported to the state medical examiner under Alaska Stat. § 12.65.005, the state medical examiner or the deputy medical examiner shall perform a medical death investigation. When a person dies under circumstances that, in the opinion of the state medical examiner, warrant an investigation, the state medical examiner or the deputy medical examiner may perform a medical death investigation. In performing the investigation, the state medical examiner or the deputy medical examiner may

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Terms Used In Alaska Statutes 12.65.020

peace officer: means
(A) an officer of the state troopers. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
person: includes a corporation, company, partnership, firm, association, organization, business trust, or society, as well as a natural person. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
property: includes real and personal property. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
state: means the State of Alaska unless applied to the different parts of the United States and in the latter case it includes the District of Columbia and the territories. See Alaska Statutes 01.10.060
Subpoena: A command to a witness to appear and give testimony.

(1) order that the body of the person who has died not be moved or otherwise disturbed without the permission of the medical examiner;

(2) request a peace officer to secure the scene and perform an on-scene investigation;

(3) view the remains of the deceased person;

(4) order the remains of the deceased to be transported to another location;

(5) perform a post mortem examination;

(6) perform an autopsy;

(7) take possession of property considered necessary for the investigation;

(8) subpoena and examine a person or record necessary in the opinion of the medical examiner to determine the material facts relating to the death; and

(9) take other actions appropriate under the circumstances to determine the cause and manner of death.

(b) When the state medical examiner or deputy medical examiner has completed an investigation or made the inquiry considered appropriate by the examiner, the examiner shall prepare a report of the examiner’s findings and conclusions. If the findings and conclusions indicate that the death may have been caused by criminal means, the state medical examiner or the deputy medical examiner shall submit a copy of the report to the district attorney responsible for prosecutions in the location where the death occurred. The investigative report is a privileged and confidential document, not subject to public disclosure under Alaska Stat. Chapter 40.25. It may be disclosed to public officers and employees for a public purpose and, when doing so will not interfere with an ongoing investigation or prosecution, to a person who is related to the deceased or who has a financial or personal interest in the estate of the deceased person.

(c) The state medical examiner, the deputy medical examiner, or a prosecuting attorney may petition the court to hold a death inquest under Alaska Stat. § 09.55.062 if the findings and conclusions of the state medical examiner or the deputy medical examiner, in the opinion of the state medical examiner, the deputy medical examiner, or prosecuting attorney, warrant the inquest. Otherwise, the state medical examiner or the deputy medical examiner shall cause a certificate of death for the deceased person to be completed and filed as prescribed by law.

(d) The state medical examiner or the deputy medical examiner may direct the state registrar of vital statistics to amend a death certificate when, in the opinion of the state medical examiner or the deputy medical examiner, the death certificate is incomplete or inaccurate.

(e) The state medical examiner may enter into agreements for services to be performed by persons in the course of medical investigations, and the state medical examiner or the deputy medical examiner may call upon public employees, including a peace officer or a village public safety officer, to perform or assist in performing the duties specified in this section.

(f) The state medical examiner, the deputy medical examiner, and individuals who perform or assist the state medical examiner or the deputy medical examiner in performing the duties of the state medical examiner or the deputy medical examiner under this section are immune from civil liability based on determining the cause and manner of a person’s death.

(g) The Department of Health shall adopt regulations to implement this section.

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