Oklahoma § 63-940 - Cooperation of state and county officials - Notification

§ 63-940. Cooperation of state and county officials - Notification

of deaths.

A. All law enforcement officers and other state and county

officials shall cooperate with the Chief Medical Examiner and all

other medical examiners in making investigations required pursuant

to the provisions of Sections 931 through 954 of this title. The

officials and the physician in attendance of the deceased, or other

persons when the deceased was unattended by a physician, shall

promptly notify the medical examiner of the occurrence of all deaths

coming to their attention which, pursuant to the provisions of

Sections 931 through 954 of this title, are subject to

investigation, and shall assist in making dead bodies and related

evidence available for investigation.

Oklahoma Statutes - Title 63. Public Health and Safety

Subject to the provisions of Sections 931 through 954 of this

title, bodies shall not be disturbed until authorized by the Chief

Medical Examiner or his or her designee and the representative of

any law enforcement agency which has begun an investigation of the

cause of death. The authorization may be given by telephone.

Nothing in Sections 931 through 954 of this title shall prevent the

district attorney, or his or her designee, or the responding law

enforcement officer from authorizing the removal of a body when the

removal is determined to be in the public interest and conditions at

the scene are adequately documented and preserved by photographs and

measurements.

B. The death of any patient, inmate, ward, or veteran in a

state hospital or other institution shall be reported by the chief

administrative officer of the hospital or institution or his or her

designee to the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner at the time of

the death and prior to release of the body.

1. Within thirty-six (36) hours, a written report shall be

submitted and shall be accompanied by true and correct copies of all

medical records of the hospital or institution concerning the

deceased patient.

2. The Chief Medical Examiner shall have the authority to

require production of any records, documents, or equipment or other

items regarding the deceased patient deemed necessary to investigate

the death.

Added by Laws 1961, p. 606, § 10, eff. Jan. 2, 1962. Amended by

Laws 1972, c. 246, § 9, emerg. eff. April 7, 1972; Laws 1978, c.

114, § 1, emerg. eff. March 31, 1978; Laws 1980, c. 178, § 1, emerg.

eff. May 14, 1980; Laws 1984, c. 36, § 1, emerg. eff. March 28,

1984; Laws 1988, c. 326, § 34, emerg. eff. July 13, 1988; Laws 2014,

c. 293, § 8, eff. Nov. 1, 2014; Laws 2022, c. 176, § 1, eff. Nov. 1,

2022.

§63-940a. Liability for removal of body.

No funeral establishment or its employees shall be liable for

the action, per se, of removing a body when ordered to do so by any

public official having the authority to order such removal.

Added by Laws 1999, c. 188, § 1, emerg. eff. May 21, 1999.