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James E. Lee

- The County Coroner runs the Coroner’s Office, which is responsible for making sure that death investigators are available 24 hours per day to investigate all deaths “affecting the public interest.” 
- Deaths that they are responsible for investigating include deaths causes by accidents, murder, suicide, radiation, heat, electric, chemicals, abortion, disease, sudden infant death syndrome, unexplained deaths, deaths in prison or jail, and deaths where the identity of the dead is unknown. 
- The Coroner is responsible for maintaining copies of all death investigations for five years and coordinating with the State Medical Examiner. 
- There are two types of coroners: chief medical examiners (CMEs) and chief medical investigations (CMEIs). CMEs have a medical or osteopathic degree, while CMEIs are non-physicians who have at least a high school diploma. 
- Coroners are elected to four year terms in partisan elections.