84 STAT. ]
PUBLIC LAW 91-358-JULY 29, 1970
"(c) Any physician, undertaker, or embalmer who willfully fails to comply with this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $1,000. " (d) The Chief Medical Examiner shall by regulation prescribe procedures for taking possession of a body following a death subject to investigation under subsection (a) of this section and for obtaining all essential facts concerning the medical causes of death and the names and addresses of as many witnesses as it is practicable to obtain.
- '§ 11-2305. Possession of evidence and property
" (a) At the scene of any death subject to investigation under section 11-2804, a law enforcement officer or the medical examiner shall take possession of any objects or articles useful in establishing the cause of death and shall hold them as evidence. "(b) In the absence of the next of kin, a police officer or the medical examiner may take possession of all property of value found on or in the custody of the deceased. If possession is taken of the property, the police officer or medical examiner shall make an exact inventory of it, and deliver the property to the property clerk of the Metropolitan Police Department. "§ 11-2306. Further investigation; autopsy " (a) If, in the opinion of the medical examine!', the cause of death is established with reasonable medical certainty, he shall complete a report thereon. "(b) If, in the opinion of the Chief Medical Examiner, or the United States attorney, further investigation as to the cause of death is required or the public interest so requires, a medical examiner shall either perform, or arrange for a qualified pathologist to perform, an autopsy on the body of the deceased. No consent of next of kin shall be required for an autopsy performed pursuant to this section. "(c) The medical examiner shall make a complete record of the findings of the autopsy and his conclusions with respect thereto and shall prepare a report, and, upon request, furnish a copy to the appropriate law enforcement agency. "§ 11-2307. Autopsy by pathologist other than medical examiner " (a) If an autopsy is performed by a pathologist other than a medical examiner by request of a medical examiner, the pathologist shall furnish to the medical examiner a complete record of the findings of the autopsy and his conclusions with respect thereto. The medical examiner shall thereupon prepare a report, indicating the name of the pathologist performing the autopsy and his findings and conclusions, and the medical examiner's own comments with respect thereto, if appropriate, and, upon request, shall furnish a copy thereof to the appropriate law enforcement agency. " (b) A pathologist other than a medical examiner who performs an autopsy at the request of a medical examiner shall be compensated in accordance with a fee rate established by the Commissioner of the District of Columbia. "§ 11-2308. Delivery of body; expenses " (a) Following investigation or autopsy, the medical examiner shall release the body of the deceased to the person having the right to the body for purposes of burial pursuant to law. If there is no such person, he shall dispose of it according to law. " (b) Expenses of transportation of a body by a medical examiner and of autopsies performed pursuant to this chapter shall be borne by the District of Columbia. 47-348 O - 72 - 37 (Pt. 1)
519
�
