lacounty.gov

Information for Law Enforcement and Legal Entities

The California State Government Code and Health & Safety Code require that the Medical Examiner be notified whenever a person dies and their death is the result of criminal means or other unnatural causes. Additionally, certain other natural deaths fall under the jurisdiction of the Medical Examiner simply because there either is no physician to sign a death certificate, or the physician is unwilling or legally prohibited from doing so.

Miscellaneous Specimens

Local law enforcement agencies may occasionally come into contact with cremated human remains, bones or tissue specimens.

Cremated Remains

Pursuant to Health and Safety Code section 7104, the law enforcement agency with possession of the cremated remains should initiate a found property report and attempt to return the remains to the next of kin or rightful owner by performing a reasonably diligent search for the next of kin or rightful owner. Only after a reasonably diligent search has been performed and the next of kin or rightful owner is not located, shall the law enforcement agency notify the Medical Examiner. The law enforcement agency will contact the Medical Examiner to schedule an appointment whereby the remains and the found property report may be transferred to the custody of the Medical Examiner.

Skeletal Remains / Miscellaneous Bones

Bone appearing human should be reported to the Medical Examiner immediately. If the apparent human bones are still in the place of discovery, the Medical Examiner will determine the extent and timing of the response. The Medical Examiner will dispatch an experienced Special Operations Response Team (SORT) member to make an assessment of the scene and the resources necessary for a successful recovery. In some cases, the Medical Examiner may determine there is no reason to hold the original place of discovery, therefore the bones may be brought to the Forensic Science Center if prior arrangements have been made with the Medical Examiner Watch Commander. Skeletal or disarticulated remains will not be recovered by the Medical Examiner personnel in open, outside areas during hours of darkness using artificial light. The location should be marked and arrangement made to conduct an organized and thorough response the following morning.

Tissue Specimens

Tissue appearing human may be reported to the Medical Examiner. The Medical Examiner will attempt to determine if the tissue has forensic value, which includes determining whether the tissue is human, and, if human, whether the loss of the tissue necessarily means there was a death. If the tissue is still in the place of discovery, the Medical Examiner may elect to respond. In some cases, the Medical Examiner may request a photograph from the law enforcement agency, or the tissue be brought into the Forensic Science Center by the law enforcement agency.

Identifications/Notifications

The Medical Examiner is mandated to identify each decedent under its jurisdiction using identification methodologies accepted as forensic standards. The Medical Examiner will not confirm an identification until the Department is satisfied this standard has been met.

Agencies should not release the names of decedents until they have verified the true name of the decedent with the Medical Examiner and the legal next of kin have been notified.

Subpoenas, Coroner Reports and Photographs

The Medical Examiner maintains two types of documents:

Exempt: Documents are not subject to public disclosure but are available to legal entities upon request. These documents include worklists, notes, instrument tracing, calibration and quality control information, and/or photographs that support the formal reports.
Non-Exempt: These documents are kept as part of the “Medical Examiner Report” and are available to the public upon request.

To request Laboratory ‘Discovery’ (i.e. to obtain ‘Exempt’ documents), please provide an itemized request with a Subpoena Duces Tecum to the Department’s Subpoena Desk or call 323.343.0518 with any questions.

Law enforcement personnel should contact the Medical Examiner's law enforcement desk at 323.343.0513 and make any other report requests. While the Medical Examiner's report is a public document, the photographs remain Medical Examiner property and should be carefully controlled by the receiving agency.

Subpoena Desk Email

Law Enforcement Desk Email

Retrieving Evidence

Evidence collected by ME-C personnel may include exemplars, projectiles, decedent clothing, ligatures, items of interest for DNA, and sexual assault kits. Evidence from cases considered as homicide or treated as homicide (officer involved shooting, undetermined, law enforcement-related, in-custody) are kept until retrieved by or authorized for disposal by the investigating law enforcement agency. Depending on the type of evidence and final mode of case, the retention policy varies. To find out more or to pick up evidence, Law Enforcement Agencies or Crime Laboratory representatives can make an appointment with the Evidence Control section by contacting 323.343.0501.

Bloodborne Pathogen Testing

The Medical Examiner maintains two types of documents:

Exempt: Documents are not subject to public disclosure but are available to legal entities upon request. These documents include worklists, notes, instrument tracing, calibration and quality control information, and/or photographs that support the formal reports.
Non-Exempt: These documents are kept as part of the “Medical Examiner Report” and are available to the public upon request.

Request Exposure Form

Security Hold

The placement of a security hold by a law enforcement agency on a homicide, officer-involved shooting, in-custody death, or other Medical Examiner case, will limit the amount of case specific information that may be released to the media or other interested parties by the Department of Medical Examiner (DME). The placement of a security hold does not restrict the release of the case number, name, date of birth or date of death (if the decedent is identified and the legal next of kin notified).

All requests for a security hold must be submitted in writing via email to the DME's Public Information Officer (PIO). The requests should be on agency letterhead, dated, and signed by supervisory personnel of the requestor's agency, e.g., Sergeant, Lieutenant, or another supervisor.

Once a security hold is submitted in writing, it will be reviewed by the DME for determination. If the hold is approved, written authorization is required from the law enforcement agency for the release of the security hold. Should the requesting organization determine it necessary to extend the approved hold, it must be submitted in writing.

If the Medical Examiner approves a security hold on a case, any written press releases or public statements by the handling law enforcement agency should be coordinated with the Medical Examiner’ PIO.

Jurisdictional Boundaries

The County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner's (DME) jurisdiction covers all sudden, violent, or unusual deaths, and those deaths where the decedent has not been seen by a physician 20 days prior to death, located within the County of Los Angeles (LA County). In the event a victim is killed, dies or is gravely injured in LA County, and the body is transported to or discovered in a location outside of LA County, the coroner, sheriff-coroner or medical examiner agency having jurisdiction in the county where the body lies must be contacted by the DME and an official request to transfer jurisdiction can be made.

The local law enforcement agency handling the criminal investigation should notify the DME, who will contact the outside coroner, sheriff-coroner, or medical examiner agency and officially request the jurisdiction be relinquished. Neither jurisdiction is under any obligation to accept or release jurisdiction.

Next of Kin Notification

It is the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner's (DME) responsibility to notify the decedent’s legal next of kin of the death of their loved one. If an investigating law enforcement agency prefers to notify the next of kin as part of its investigation, in lieu of the DME making the notification, this must be coordinated with DME personnel. Notification efforts should begin immediately.

The DME must have documentation of notification; therefore, after a successful notification has been made, a courtesy call to the DME is imperative to advise of a successful notification and to whom it was made to. Unsuccessful notification attempts should be reported as well. If the investigating law enforcement agency is unable to complete the notification, please immediately contact the DME Investigations Section.

The DME will allow an agency 24 hours to complete their notification effort. After that period, the DME will initiate its own efforts to notify the legal next of kin. Efforts need to be coordinated with the DME Notifications Unit, which can be reached at 323-343-0755.

In Custody Deaths

A custodial death is any death that occurs while a decedent is in the custody or control of a law enforcement employee, or when a decedent is under order of confinement in the Los Angeles County Jail System or in any other city, county, state or federal confinement facility.

Death notification will normally be accomplished by the assigned Department of Medical Examiner (DME) investigator. When a law enforcement agency assumes the responsibility of notification of death to the legal next of kin, the DME shall be advised as soon as possible after the notification is complete.

Viewing Autopsy

Law Enforcement personnel handling a death investigation may request to receive a two hour notification prior to the Post-Mortem Examination in a case. You will need to provide the Medical Examiner-Coroner Investigator with all means by which you wish to be contacted. This may include a pager, cellular telephone, office telephone, Watch Commander telephone or a home telephone (personal telephone numbers will not be made part of the official report). If you are reporting a hospital death, you will need to provide the same information to the person taking the death report or to the Watch Commander.

The assigned Deputy Medical Examiner will attempt to give you a two-hour advance notice to you through the contact number(s) that you provide. The only person(s) authorized to attend autopsies are sworn staff whose primary duty is the criminal investigation related to the specific death being examined that day. Guests of any type, regardless of reason or intention, are not permitted in the autopsy room or on the security floor.

Reporting of Death

Detailed information is not required for an initial report of death to the County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner (DME) if the body is still at the scene. Basic information such as location, callback number, preliminary mode, sex of victim(s) and number of victims is sufficient for the initial report. Death reports for bodies transported to a hospital will require additional information since the scene is no longer intact. Once death is pronounced, no one should be permitted to further disturb the body or any related evidence. The clothing and personal property of the decedent fall within the jurisdiction of the DME and should not be further disturbed, discarded or released prior to the arrival of the DME. Anything on or with the decedent when they arrived at the hospital should remain with the body pending the DME arrival.

The law requires an immediate notification to the DME when a death falls under the jurisdiction of the DME. It is understood scene containment and determining the investigative parameters occasionally take time in some deaths, especially homicides. However, most deaths should be reported within one hour of pronouncement or discovery. Law enforcement personnel reporting a death should advise the DME personnel if they desire a delayed response by the DME due to investigative concerns.

The DME proactively responds to certain scenes when it determines an immediate response is advisable. The DME will not interfere with the criminal investigation unless issues concerning evidence degradation, wound interpretation, unnecessary body decomposition or post-mortem changes will interfere with the medicolegal requirements of the DME. For these reasons, the law gives the DME the authority to determine when the body will be moved at a scene or removed from a scene.

The DME personnel will respond when requested and conduct the death investigation. A sworn DME investigator will respond to the scene and a transport driver will arrive separately in a removal vehicle. In certain cases, a DME criminalist and/or a DME photographer will respond upon the request of detectives or the DME investigator conducting the death investigation.

Moving the body with County of Los Angeles Department of Medical Examiner Permission

When an officer believes the scene circumstances require moving the body prior to the arrival of the DME, the officer must contact the DME immediately by phone and be apprised of the circumstances necessitating the movement of the body. The DME may authorize the body to be moved to a nearby location when appropriate.

Moving the body without Coroner Permission

In some rare cases, exigent circumstances may require the body to be moved to a secure location prior to the law enforcement agency contacting the Coroner. This must only be considered when the circumstances are such that the scene cannot reasonably be rendered safe and the delay caused by contacting the Coroner for permission to move the body may result in loss of the body or crucial evidence on the body.

When the body is floating in the ocean, a river or pool it may be removed from the water and moved to a boat or the shore immediately adjacent to the location of the discovery prior to contacting the Coroner. Bodies beneath the surface of the water should only be removed from the water when Coroner personnel are present due to accelerated decomposition of such bodies once out of the water.

When the body is in immediate danger of being damaged by approaching fire or other hazard it may be moved to a safe location immediately adjacent to the location of death prior to contacting the Coroner.

When the body must be rescued from a violent environment where officer safety is in jeopardy, such as civil unrest or barricaded suspect situations or SWAT operations it may be moved to a safe location immediately adjacent to the location of death prior to contacting the Coroner. Law Enforcement agencies should exercise extreme caution before moving a body when the death was not witnessed.

Body Transportation

Bodies will be transported by Medical Examiner-Coroner’s personnel to the Coroner’s Forensic Science Center located at 1104 North Mission Road in Los Angeles. The office is located just off the Golden State Freeway (I-5) at the intersection of Mission Road and Marengo Street. The body will be held at the facility until released to a private mortuary selected by the legal next of kin or for County disposition.

Glossary of Terms

Autopsy

also known as a post-mortem examination, necropsy (particularly as to non-human bodies), autopsia cadaverum, or obduction — is a highly specialized surgical procedure that consists of a thorough examination of a corpse to determine the cause and manner of death and to evaluate any disease or injury that may be present. It is usually performed by a specialized medical doctor called a pathologist.

Biological specimens

blood, sections of organs, vitreous, bile, and urine.

Cause of death

an injury or disease that ultimately leads to death of the individual, generally determined by medical examiners or coroners.

Certificate of Religious Belief

in California, in order to execute a certificate of religious belief, a person must be 18 years of age or older and must state in clear and unambiguous language that any postmortem anatomical dissection or that specified procedures would violate the religious convictions of the person. The certificate must be signed and dated by the person in the presence of at least two witnesses. Each witness must also sign the certificate and must print on the certificate his or her name and residence address. California law allows the state to override religious objection if the coroner "has a reasonable suspicion that the death was caused by the criminal act of another or by a contagious disease constituting a public health hazard."

Chain of custody

a method of keeping track of who has handled a piece of evidence and when.

County Disposition

The County of Los Angeles will cremate the remains of a decedent and hold the cremains (ashes) for a period of time (about 3 years) before the ashes are interred in a common gravesite at the LA County Cemetery.

Decomposition

the disintegration of body tissues after death.

DME

Department of Medical Examiner

Evidence

any physical items such as bullets, hairs, fibers, biological fluids, etc., documents and statements that are included in a legal investigation for the jury’s or judge’s consideration in the determination of an individual’s guilt or innocence.

Forensic pathologist

A medical doctor who specializes in the sub-specialty of pathology that focuses on determining the cause of death by examining a corpse. The autopsy is performed by the pathologist usually during the investigation of criminal law cases and civil law cases in some jurisdictions.

Forensic Science

Forensic Science is the application of all forms of science to aid legal investigations.

Indigency

The lack of ability to pay as a legal reason for having certain required fees waived; being declared eligible for free services.

Manner of death

is how the death came about. Natural - due entirely (or nearly so) to natural disease processes. Homicide - due to a volitional act of another person. Suicide - due to injury that occurred with the intent to induce self-harm or cause one’s own death. Accident - due to injury when there is no evidence of intent to harm. Undetermined - inadequate information regarding the circumstances of death to determine manner; example: individual found unconscious with massive subdural hemorrhage; in the absence of information on the events leading up to death, it is impossible to determine if the hemorrhage is due to accidental fall, homicidal violence, etc.

Medical examiner

is a medically qualified forensic pathologist and government official whose duty is to investigate deaths and injuries that occur under unusual or suspicious circumstances, to perform post-mortem examinations, and in some jurisdictions to initiate inquests.

Medicolegal Autopsy

a medicolegal autopsy is done with the possibility of litigation in mind. The autopsy is designed to determine the cause of death, properly document findings, and collect evidence. A primary objective is to try to reconstruct the circumstances and events that led to the death so that a mode (natural, accident, suicide, homicide, or undetermined) can be established. A medicolegal autopsy differs from a hospital autopsy. A hospital autopsy is designed to confirm a known or suspected disease and gain further knowledge of the disease. The emphasis is placed on the gross and microscopic examination of internal organs. In a medicolegal autopsy the emphasis is shifted to the external examination and the description of external and associated internal injuries. Microscopic examination is done only when indicated. Information about identification of the remains, time of death, evidence of drug use, age of injuries, etc., becomes important and must be recorded carefully. It is imperative that findings be recorded clearly and objectively. Any forensic pathologist should be able to interpret the findings years later without difficulty. The forensic autopsy protocol must be standardized and reproducible.

Next of Kin

aNearest relative: if married, the spouse, if no spouse then adult children, or surviving parents, or blood relative, according to California State Law, unless otherwise specified in a legal document.

Toxicology

or postmortem (after death) toxicology analyzes biological specimens collected at autopsy for the presence of drugs, toxins, and poisons to help determine cause and manner of death.