Oklahoma § 63-938 - Types of deaths to be investigated - Autopsies

§ 63-938. Types of deaths to be investigated - Autopsies

A. All human deaths of the types listed herein shall be

investigated as provided by law:

1. Violent deaths, whether apparently homicidal, suicidal, or

accidental;

2. Deaths under suspicious, unusual or unnatural circumstances;

3. Deaths related to disease which might constitute a threat to

public health;

4. Deaths unattended by a licensed physician for a fatal or

potentially fatal illness;

5. Deaths that are medically unexpected and that occur in the

course of a therapeutic procedure;

6. Deaths of any persons detained or occurring in custody of

the Department of Corrections or a county jail;

7. Deaths of persons whose bodies are to be cremated,

transported out of the state, donated to educational entities, to

include limited portions of the body, or otherwise made ultimately

unavailable for pathological study; and

8. Maternal deaths that occur during pregnancy or within one

(1) year of termination of pregnancy reported by a hospital or

birthing center under Section 2 of this act.

B. The Chief Medical Examiner shall state on the certificate of

death of all persons whose death was caused by execution pursuant to

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 63. Public Health and Safety

a lawful court order that the cause of death was the execution of

such order.

Added by Laws 1961, p. 605, § 8, eff. Jan. 2, 1962. Amended by Laws

1963, c. 302, § 2, emerg. eff. June 19, 1963; Laws 1972, c. 246, §

7, emerg. eff. April 7, 1972; Laws 2000, c. 161, § 1, eff. July 1,

2000; Laws 2014, c. 293, § 6, eff. Nov. 1, 2014; Laws 2024, c. 263,

§ 3, eff. Nov. 1, 2024.