Q&A: State statute on coroner’s report

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From the Daily Journal (Franklin):

Q: Can you provide a link to the state statute requiring a coroner’s report to be public information?

A: You can find Indiana Code statutes at the website of the Indiana General Assembly, www.iga.in.gov.

The code in question is IC 36-2-14-18. In 18(a), it says the coroner is required to make available for public inspection a list of items.

• 18(a)(5) lists the probable cause of death, probable manner of death and probable mechanism of death as part of that information.

• 18(f) says this report must be completed no later than 14 days after the autopsy or completion of the final toxicology and other ancillary reports.

Note that 18(g) says a prosecuting attorney can ask the court for an order preventing the coroner from releasing the information.

Contact Steve Key, HSPA executive director and general counsel, with media law questions at skey@hspa.com or (317) 624-4427.