Opinion Number

State AG opinion addresses duties of a parish coroner in death investigations for District 71.
Statutes governing coroners are La. Rev. Stat. Title 33, §§1551-1645; §1567 governs retention of decedent’s personal effects.
Coroner must take charge of personal effects at death scene and later return them to lawful owner when no longer needed for proceedings.
Coroner has duty to collect property/evidence related to cause of death or identity of deceased; law enforcement may collect non-body items, and may act at coroner’s request if refused.
No prescribed process for removal of items; policy is left to each coroner’s office after law enforcement declines to collect items.
Policy considerations include maintaining chain of custody for admissibility in criminal proceedings; guidance from cited cases and prior opinions informs procedures.

Issue	Plaintiff's Argument	Defendant's Argument	Held
Authority to remove property during a death investigation	N/A	N/A	Coroner may remove/collect only as allowed; primary authority rests with law enforcement, but coroner may act when refused.
Legal process for removal from a death scene	N/A	N/A	No formal statutory process; coroner policy governs removal when law enforcement declines.
Duties regarding inventory/listing of property	N/A	N/A	Statute lacks inventory requirements; policy governs listing; chain of custody recommended to preserve admissibility.
Disposal of contraband/substances and family rights	N/A	N/A	Disposal governed by general criminal-disposition statutes; contraband may be court-ordered disposed; some items not returnable to kin.

State v. Castro, 40 So. 3d 1036 (La. App. 5 Cir. 2010) (discusses chain of custody requirements for evidence)
State v. Arita, 900 So.2d 37 (La. App. 5 Cir. 2005) (illustrates evidentiary custody principles)
State v. Beaner, 974 So.2d 667 (La. App. 2 Cir. 2007) (addresses custody and admissibility considerations)