Deaths — Notification; penalties for noncompliance. (a) For all deaths described in § 5-1405(b), the CME shall take charge of the body upon the mandatory and direct notification of the death required by subsection (b) of this section. The CME, or duly authorized representatives of the CME, shall have authority to respond to the scene of the death. The body of the decedent shall not be disturbed unless the CME, or the CME’s designee, grants permission to do so. (b) All law enforcement officers, emergency medical service personnel, physicians, nurses, health care institutions, nursing homes, community residential facilities, prisons and jails, funeral directors, embalmers and other persons shall promptly notify the OCME of the occurrence of all deaths coming to their attention which are subject to investigation under § 5-1405(b) and shall assist in making the bodies and related evidence available to a medical examiner for investigation and autopsy. (c) Any person subject to the reporting requirements in subsection (b) of this section who willfully fails to comply with this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined not less than $100 nor the reporting requirements in subsection (b) of this section who willfully fails to comply with this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor and upon conviction shall be fined not less than $100 nor more than $1,000. (Oct. 19, 2000, D.C. Law 13-172, § 2907, 47 DCR 6308; Nov. 13, 2021, D.C. Law 24-45, § 3072(f), 68 DCR 010163.) Prior Codifications 1981 Ed., § 11-2304. Emergency Legislation For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3072(f) of Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2021 (D.C. Act 24-159, Aug. 23, 2021, 68 DCR 008602). For temporary (90 day) addition of section, see § 2907 of the Fiscal Year 2001 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2000 (D.C. Act 13-438, October 20, 2000, 47 DCR 8740).
District of Columbia Legal Code