Colorado § 24-80-1302 - Discovery of human remains.

§ 24-80-1302. Discovery of human remains.

(1) Except as provided in section 24-80-1303 with regard to anthropological investigations, any person who discovers on any land suspected human skeletal remains or who knowingly disturbs such remains shall immediately notify the coroner or medical examiner of the county wherein the remains are located and the sheriff, police chief, or land managing agency official.

(2) The coroner or medical examiner shall conduct an on-site inquiry within forty-eight hours after such notification to attempt to determine whether such skeletal remains are human remains and to determine their forensic value. If it is confirmed that the remains are human remains and of forensic value, the coroner or medical examiner shall take legal custody of the human remains pursuant to section 30-10-606 (1.2), C.R.S. If it is confirmed that the remains are human remains but of no forensic value, the coroner or medical examiner shall notify the state archaeologist of the discovery. The state archaeologist shall recommend security measures for the site.

(3) Prior to further disturbance, the state archaeologist shall cause the human remains to be examined by a qualified archaeologist to determine whether the remains are more than one hundred years old and to evaluate the integrity of their archaeological context. Complete documentation of the archaeological context of the human remains shall be accomplished in a timely manner.

(4) (a) If the on-site inquiry discloses that the human remains are Native American, the state archaeologist shall notify the commission.

(b) The remains shall be disinterred unless the landowner, the state archaeologist, and the chairman of the commission or his designee unanimously agree to leave the remains in situ.

(c) Disinterment shall be conducted carefully, respectfully, and in accordance with proper archaeological methods and by an archaeologist who holds a permit issued under sections 24-80-405 and 24-80-406. In the event the remains are left in situ, they shall be covered over.

(d) Without the landowner's express consent for an extension of time, disinterment shall be accomplished no later than ten consecutive days after the state archaeologist has received notification from the coroner or medical examiner pursuant to subsection (2) of this section.

(e) The archaeologist who conducts the disinterment will assume temporary custody of the human remains, for a period not to exceed one year from the date of disinterment, for the purpose of study and analysis. In the event that a period in excess of one year is required to complete such study and analysis, the commission shall hold a hearing and may, based upon its findings, grant an extension. During the period that the human remains are in the temporary custody of the archaeologist who conducted the disinterment, an archaeological analysis and report shall be prepared. At the same time, a physical anthropological study shall be conducted to include, but not be limited to, osteometric measurement, pathological analysis, and age, sex, and cause of death determinations. The cost of the disinterment, archaeological analysis, and physical anthropological study shall be borne by the state archaeologist except when the human remains are recovered from private lands. In the latter case, if no party can be identified who will bear the cost of such scientific study, the state archaeologist shall bear such costs.

(f) Upon completion of the studies pursuant to paragraph (e) of this subsection (4), the state archaeologist shall consult with the commission regarding reinterment.

(5) Those remains which are verifiably nonnative American and are otherwise unclaimed will be delivered to the county coroner or medical examiner for further conveyance to the Colorado state anatomical board.

Source: L. 90: Entire part added, p. 1280, § 6, effective May 9. L. 2006: Entire section amended, p. 397, § 3, effective April 6.