§ 146.740 Reports of medical examiner

If a medical examiner looks into a death and believes a crime may have caused it, the law requires them to tell the district attorney. This report acts as a trigger that gets the criminal justice system involved when a death looks suspicious.

The medical examiner doesn't have to prove a crime happened. They just need to have a reasonable belief that one might have. Once they reach that conclusion, they must pass the information along so the district attorney's office can decide whether to investigate further or bring charges.

This rule matters because it creates a direct link between medical findings and criminal investigations. Families of the deceased, as well as anyone who might later face charges, should understand that a medical examiner's report can be the starting point for a criminal case. It also means the district attorney relies on medical experts to flag cases that need legal attention, rather than having to review every death themselves.