When the Baldwin County Coroner determines a death under investigation is one described in Section 45-2-61.03, the coroner may, and upon request, shall be assisted by a state medical examiner in the Alabama Department of Forensic Sciences, as necessary, to help determine the cause and manner of death or to provide other information to the coroner or investigating law enforcement agency. The state medical examiner may upon request, assist by reviewing the coroner’s case file and the circumstances of the death, by conducting an external examination of the body, or by conducting an autopsy on the body under the following circumstances:

1. (1) An autopsy or postmortem examination shall be performed by a state medical examiner at the written direction of the district attorney or his or her authorized representative in any case in which the district attorney is conducting a criminal investigation.
2. (2) In a death where the Baldwin County coroner or state medical examiner does not deem it advisable and in the public interest that an autopsy be performed, the state medical examiner, or his or her designated pathologist, may perform the autopsy and the cost thereof shall be paid by the next of kin, funds to be deposited in the State Treasury for the Department of Forensic Sciences.

(Act 92-691, 2nd Sp. Sess., p. 78, §5.)