(a)After viewing the body and completing his
investigation, the coroner shall draw up and sign his verdict on
the death under consideration. The coroner shall also make a
written docket giving an accurate description of the deceased
person, his name if it can be determined, cause and manner of
death, including relevant toxicological factors, age of
decedent, date and time of death and the description of money
and other property found with the body. The verdict and written
docket are public records and may be viewed or obtained by
request to the coroner, pursuant to W.S. 16-4-202.
(b)Except as provided in subsections (c), (d), (e), (g)
and (o) of this section a toxicology report, a photograph, video
recording or audio recording made at the scene of the death or
made in the course of a pos
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(a) After viewing the body and completing his
investigation, the coroner shall draw up and sign his verdict on
the death under consideration. The coroner shall also make a
written docket giving an accurate description of the deceased
person, his name if it can be determined, cause and manner of
death, including relevant toxicological factors, age of
decedent, date and time of death and the description of money
and other property found with the body. The verdict and written
docket are public records and may be viewed or obtained by
request to the coroner, pursuant to W.S. 16-4-202.
(b) Except as provided in subsections (c), (d), (e), (g)
and (o) of this section a toxicology report, a photograph, video
recording or audio recording made at the scene of the death or
made in the course of a postmortem examination or autopsy made
or caused by a coroner shall be confidential and are not public
records.
(c) A surviving spouse, surviving parent, an adult child,
personal representative, legal representative, or a legal
guardian may:
(i) View and copy a toxicology report, a photograph
or video recording made at the scene of the death or made in the
course of a postmortem examination or autopsy made by or caused
by a coroner; and
(ii) Listen to and copy an audio recording made at
the scene of the death or made in the course of a postmortem
examination or autopsy made by or caused by a coroner.
(d) Upon making a written request, a law enforcement
entity of the state of Wyoming or United States government, a
district attorney, the United States attorney for the district
of Wyoming, a county, state or federal public health agency, a
board licensing health care professionals under title 33 of the
Wyoming statutes, the division responsible for administering the
Wyoming Workers' Compensation Act, the state occupational
epidemiologist, the department and the division responsible for
administering the Wyoming Occupational Health and Safety Act,
the office of the inspector of mines, insurance companies with
legitimate interest in the death, all parties in civil
litigation proceedings with legitimate interest in the death or
a treating physician, while in performance of his official duty
may:
(i) View and copy a toxicology report, photograph or
video recording made at the scene of the death or made in the
course of a postmortem examination or autopsy made by or caused
by a coroner; and
(ii) Listen to and copy an audio recording made at
the scene of the death or made in the course of a postmortem
examination or autopsy made by or caused by a coroner.
(e) Unless otherwise required in the performance of
official duties, the identity of the deceased shall remain
confidential in any record obtained under subsection (d) of this
section.
(f) The coroner having custody of a toxicology report, a
photograph, a video recording or an audio recording made at any
scene of the death or made in the course of a postmortem
examination or autopsy may allow the use for case consultation
with an appropriate expert. The coroner may also allow the use
of a toxicology report, a photograph, a video recording or an
audio recording made at the scene of the death or made in the
course of a postmortem examination or autopsy by legitimate
scientific research organizations or for training purposes
provided the identity of the decedent is not published or
otherwise made public.
(g) A court upon showing of good cause, may issue an order
authorizing a person to:
(i) View or copy a toxicology report, photograph or
video recording made at the scene of the death or made in the
course of a postmortem examination or autopsy made or caused by
a coroner; and
(ii) Listen to and copy an audio recording made at
the scene of the death or made in the course of a postmortem
examination or autopsy made or caused by a coroner.
(h) In determining good cause under subsection (g) of this
section, the court shall consider:
(i) Whether the disclosure is necessary for the
public evaluation of governmental performance;
(ii) The seriousness of the intrusion into the
family's privacy;
(iii) Whether the disclosure of the toxicology
report, photograph, video recording or audio recording is by the
least intrusive means available; and
(iv) The availability of similar information in other
public records regardless of form.
(j) A surviving spouse shall be given reasonable notice
and a copy of any petition filed with the court under subsection
(g) of this section and reasonable opportunity to be present and
be heard on the matter. If there is no surviving spouse, the
notice of the petition being filed and the opportunity to be
heard shall be given to the deceased's parents and if the
deceased has no living parent, the notice of the petition being
filed and the opportunity to be heard shall be given to the
adult children of the deceased or legal guardian, personal
representative or legal representative of the children of the
deceased.
(k) A coroner or coroner's designee that knowingly
violates this section shall be guilty of a misdemeanor
punishable by imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, a
fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), or both.
(m) A person who knowingly or purposefully uses the
information in a manner other than the specified purpose for
which it was released or violates a court order issued under
subsection (g) of this section is guilty of a misdemeanor
punishable by imprisonment for not more than six (6) months, a
fine of not more than one thousand dollars ($1,000.00), or both.
(n) In all cases, the viewing, copying, listening to, or
other handling of a toxicology report, photograph, video
recording, or audio recording made at a scene of the death or
made in the course of a postmortem examination or autopsy made
or caused by a coroner shall be under the direct supervision of
the coroner, or the coroner's designee, who is the custodian of
the record.
(o) In the event that the coroner, or the coroner's
designee, determines that a person's death was caused by an
infectious disease, biological toxin or any other cause which
may constitute a public health emergency as defined in W.S.
35-4-115(a)(i), the coroner shall release to the state health
officer or his designee all information and records required
under W.S. 35-4-107. If the state health official or his
designee determines upon an examination of the results of the
autopsy and the toxicology report that a public health emergency
may in fact exist, he shall release the appropriate information
to the general public as provided by department of health rules
and regulations.