🔎 Coroner
Christopher Gulledge, Coroner
The Coroner is an elected constitutional officer in every Mississippi county, including Panola County, serving a four-year term. The Coroner’s primary duty is to investigate and determine the cause and manner of death when a death is sudden, unexpected, or occurs under suspicious circumstances.
The Coroner’s Office serves a critical function as a check and balance on official death certificates and criminal investigations.
🔎 Primary Duties of the Coroner
The Coroner’s authority and responsibilities are governed by state law and focus on non-natural deaths.
1. Investigation of Deaths
The Coroner is legally required to investigate any death that falls under the following criteria:
Sudden or Unexpected Deaths: Deaths that occur suddenly, unexpectedly, or when the person was seemingly in good health.
Violent Deaths: Deaths resulting from trauma, including homicide, suicide, or accident (such as vehicle crashes or workplace incidents).
Suspicious Circumstances: Deaths where the cause is unknown, or where there are circumstances suggesting foul play or an unnatural cause.
Custody Deaths: Deaths occurring while a person is in the custody of law enforcement or in the county jail.
Unattended Deaths: Deaths not attended by a physician or for which the physician is unable or unwilling to sign a death certificate.
2. Cause and Manner of Death
After an investigation, the Coroner determines the two critical components of the death record:
Cause of Death: The specific injury or disease that leads to death (e.g., “Blunt Force Trauma,” “Myocardial Infarction”).
Manner of Death: The context in which the death occurred, which is legally categorized as:
Natural (due to illness or disease).
Accident (unintended injury).
Suicide (self-inflicted injury with intent to die).
Homicide (death at the hands of another).
Undetermined (insufficient information to classify).
3. Judicial and Investigative Functions
Autopsy Ordering: The Coroner has the authority to request or order an autopsy or specialized forensic testing when necessary to determine the cause of death.
Inquest: In certain cases specified by law, the Coroner is required to conduct a Coroner’s Inquest—a judicial inquiry, often involving a jury, to publicly determine the cause and manner of death.
Identification: The Coroner is responsible for establishing the identity of the deceased.
Notification: Notifying the next of kin.
4. Property Custody
The Coroner takes custody of any personal property found on the body of the deceased and ensures its proper release to the next of kin or administrator of the estate.
662-609-2864