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Lawmakers: Coroners Due for an Update in Colorado

by KREX News Room
by Cori Coffin
by Associated Press

Story Created: Mar 9, 2013 at 10:49 PM MDT

Story Updated: Mar 10, 2013 at 12:17 AM MDT

DENVER (AP) - Colorado lawmakers are considering whether to update the state's Old West-style coroner system.

The state's 63 county coroners are mostly elected and aren't required to have a medical degree. They operate under laws written in the days when Western coroners did little more than collect bodies after frontier shootouts.

The head of the Colorado Coroners' Association says the update is desperately overdue.

The law was last revised in 2011 to settle the question of when autopsies are required. This year's bill continues that work by dusting off other arcane bits of Colorado's death-investigation protocol.

However, some say it doesn't go far enough.

The National Academy of Sciences says coroner systems should be phased out and replaced with board-certified medical examiners.

The proposed update is awaiting consideration by the Senate.

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Sad Sate of Affairs said on Sunday, Mar 10 at 4:27 PM

The coroner should be a doctor I agree with that. Other than that they don't need any other power.

wheezzer said on Sunday, Mar 10 at 9:12 AM

This isn't going to sit well with the Republicons, more government. Not withstanding its for the Public Good. In our County the Coroner is an ex carpenter, trained as an EMT, elected Coroner. However the Coroner has more control than any elected official!!

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