LEO Policy Question Regarding Dead Body

[greggargubby]

Quick question regarding typical policy (if there is one).

A relative of an acquaintance of mine recently fled from CHP. This was in Oroville on a surface street. He was on a motorcycle and in rather short order hit a telephone pole and died. His speed was estimated at 100 MPH.

After such an pursuit/accident, is it typical for the police to allow the family to see the body? Or would it be typical for the police to deny this request? Or is there no specific policy in place?

Thanks in advance.

 

[boilovepho]

I don't know anything about this but dang this is a weird one.

 

[kelsodeez]

I believe at the time of death, the body is surrendered to the coroner and they allow viewing for identification purposes. My X gf was a mortician and she said she dealt with a few cases similar to the one described (person dies doing something illegal)

 

[greggargubby]

I don't know anything about this but dang this is a weird one.

Indeed. This is why I'm trying to help.

 

[greggargubby]

I believe at the time of death, the body is surrendered to the coroner and they allow viewing for identification purposes.

This could be the crux of the debate. I believe the police had the means to identify the body without input from the family.

 

[NorCalBusa]

Its not up to the police, its the Coronor's job. Its a rough deal no matter what, but if I were Coronor, I'd want a first hand confirmation of identity. Can you imagine the storm if they did not (when they could) and somehow a body was misidentified?

 

[greggargubby]

Its not up to the police, its the Coronor's job. Its a rough deal no matter what, but if I were Coronor, I'd want a first hand confirmation of identity. Can you imagine the storm if they did not (when they could) and somehow a body was misidentified?

Good point. I don't really know who made the call, the police or coronor.

 

[bojangle]

Good point. I don't really know who made the call, the police or coronor.

It would be the coroner's call. 100 MPH into a telephone pole might make an identification difficult if there was major head trauma. Plus, the family might not want to see that. Usually the coroner (Sheriff in most of Cali) will confirm identity through a next of kin identification. There are other means of identifying, such as a combination of ID, fingerprints, and dental records.

Ultimately, when the coroner is done with their investigation / autopsy, the decedent will be turned over to family via a funeral home. At that point the family can do a viewing if they want, and if the coroner had denied one previously.

 

[Rel]

Did the family see the body at the scene or at the morgue?

Of the three that Ive chased, which resulted in fatal injuries to the person I was chasing, the body isn't moved until the coroner arrives on scene. The coroner takes the body to the morgue for the autopsy. Before the autopsy, the family may see the body.

 

[msethhunter]

Its not up to the police, its the Coronor's job. Its a rough deal no matter what, but if I were Coronor, I'd want a first hand confirmation of identity. Can you imagine the storm if they did not (when they could) and somehow a body was misidentified?

You know this has to have happened. Some poor family get the "Your xxx I dead. Hit a telephone pole." And then the hysteria, whether in the form of crying because that person is at work and unreachable, or sitting on the couch next to them ensues.

 

[Rel]

There is nothing worse, and I mean I really can't think of something worse than telling a parent their kid is dead. Wanna talk some serious stress, at least, it is for me....

 

[}Dragon{]

Quick question regarding typical policy (if there is one).

A relative of an acquaintance of mine recently fled from CHP. This was in Oroville on a surface street. He was on a motorcycle and in rather short order hit a telephone pole and died. His speed was estimated at 100 MPH.

After such an pursuit/accident, is it typical for the police to allow the family to see the body? Or would it be typical for the police to deny this request? Or is there no specific policy in place?

Thanks in advance.

As other's said, the CHP/Sheriff/PD may knock on the door for the death notification, but the Coroner's Office may need a family member to identify the deceased.

At the scene of the incident, the family would be denied seeing the deceased in most cases, especially after a pursuit, since it is an active crime scene.

 

[greggargubby]

It would be the coroner's call. 100 MPH into a telephone pole might make an identification difficult if there was major head trauma. Plus, the family might not want to see that. Usually the coroner (Sheriff in most of Cali) will confirm identity through a next of kin identification. There are other means of identifying, such as a combination of ID, fingerprints, and dental records.

Ultimately, when the coroner is done with their investigation / autopsy, the decedent will be turned over to family via a funeral home. At that point the family can do a viewing if they want, and if the coroner had denied one previously.

The information I have is coming through three layers of people, meaning it may be unreliable, but it sounds to me like this is exactly what happened. An initial viewing was denied, but then the funeral was open casket due to the cultural norms of the family.

 

[greggargubby]

Did the family see the body at the scene or at the morgue?

Of the three that Ive chased, which resulted in fatal injuries to the person I was chasing, the body isn't moved until the coroner arrives on scene. The coroner takes the body to the morgue for the autopsy. Before the autopsy, the family may see the body.

The family did not see the body at the scene. The accident investigation took at least six hours, so I have to think you are correct and the coroner was part of it.

 

[greggargubby]

As other's said, the CHP/Sheriff/PD may knock on the door for the death notification, but the Coroner's Office may need a family member to identify the deceased.

At the scene of the incident, the family would be denied seeing the deceased in most cases, especially after a pursuit, since it is an active crime scene.

This seems accurate, at least from my limited point of view. I read one article that claimed it was a crime scene. The question I have is why it would be. The answer seems obvious, and maybe it is, but there have been reports of the decedent suffering wounds glaringly inconsistent with his accident. That said, I'm on the receiving end of lots of communication, meaning possibly miscommunication.

 

[bojangle]

This seems accurate, at least from my limited point of view. I read one article that claimed it was a crime scene. The question I have is why it would be. The answer seems obvious, and maybe it is, but there have been reports of the decedent suffering wounds glaringly inconsistent with his accident. That said, I'm on the receiving end of lots of communication, meaning possibly miscommunication.

Of course it's a crime scene. Fleeing the CHP at 100 MPH is reckless evading, a felony. The guy died, so it was a felony resulting in a death. It was probably fairly obvious what occurred, but law enforcement still needs to investigate and do due diligence. This would also be a case mandating an autopsy.

After all is said and done, unfortunately, the CHP might still get sued over it.

 

[Rel]

After all is said and done, unfortunately, the CHP might still get sued over it.

Sadly, we're used to this.

 

[NorCalBusa]

Maybe its time for CHP and other agencies to sue in civil court for damages- all the expenses (immediate and overhead) plus punitive for those causing chases, standoffs and similar felony crimes. Of course, you can't get blood from a turnip, but...

 

[tgrrdr]

My condolences to the family, but I really don't understand this. 35 years old and dead because of a registration violation?

A CHP officer had tried to stop <the rider> on a registration violation earlier, according to the police report.

The motorcyclist allegedly ran a stop sign and later a red light on Ophir Road.

 

[Rel]

People run for all the wrong reasons.