What is a Coroner?
The primary goal of the Coroner is to help establish the manner and cause of death. There are five manners of death:
1. Homicide: when the death is caused by the actions of another individual
2. Natural: when the death is caused by disease or other medical condition
3. Accidental: death is unintentional
4. Suicide: death is intentionally self-inflicted
5. Undetermined: the cause of death cannot be determined based on little to no
evidence and medical history
There is a lot of confusion between the terms “homicide” and “murder.” Homicide is a manner of death. Murder is a legal term. Once the Coroner determines the manner of death to be homicide, the law enforcement then investigates that death to determine the probable cause for criminal charges against the person who caused the death. All murders are homicide, but not all homicides are murders.
When an individual is pronounced dead, the Coroner takes charge of the body while law enforcement takes charge of the scene.
The Coroner’s Office is also part of the judicial system and may be called as a witness in criminal trials. In addition, a Coroner has the power of subpoena.
The Coroner may also hold an inquest to determine the cause of death in certain situations.
The Coroner also plays a key role in public health by communicating with local public health
offices when investigating deaths that are potentially a
1. hazard to citizens
2. emerging infection
3. bioterrorism
Being involved in death investigations, the Coroner may assist in neighboring counties involving mass fatalities.
The Coroner is responsible for filing Death Certificates.
What else does the Coroner do?
In 1990, the Georgia General Assemble enacted legislation that required every Georgia county to develop local protocols to prevent child abuse called the Child Death Protocol Committee and child fatality review subcommittees. These committees are also required to review all unexplained or unexpected deaths of children under the age of 18. These committees make the determination if the death could be prevented and make recommendations to prevent future deaths.
A Coroner must be a doctor, right?
Wrong! Current Georgia mandates do not require the Coroner to have any medical or investigative training prior to election. Once elected, a Coroner is required to take a 40-hour course at the Georgia Public Safety Training Center and all subsequent years, take 24-hours of continual education. The only education required is a high school diploma or a GED.
Isn’t a medical examiner and a coroner the same thing?
No, a medical examiner is an individual with a Ph.D. and is typically a forensic pathologist. This individual performs the autopsies. In Georgia, the coroner makes the determination whether an autopsy needs to be performs and the body is then transported to the Georgia Bureau of Investigate Headquarters where the medical examiner performs the autopsy.
What do you plan on doing as Coroner once you are elected?
1. Provide empathy to bereaved families
2. Effective and compassionate while maintaining the highest standard of
professionalism and integrity
3. Assist, Cooperate and Communication with all law enforcement agencies, fire and
public service personnel involved as well as district attorney and the rest of the
judicial and public health systems
4. Increase public awareness of consequences of dangerous lifestyle choices and
irresponsible behavior through presentations in schools, churches and
community groups.
5. Treat every case with professionalism, unbiased dignity and respect
6. Assist families in making final decisions for loved ones
7. Provide the most appropriate information to loved ones during the investigation
8. Be a mediator for the family and investigative team
9. Become an active participate in Child Death Protocol Committee and Georgia
Child Fatality Review Board
10. Provide accurate and timely record keeping and filings
11. Assist other charitable needs within the community by promote public awareness
Final Thoughts…
Autopsy findings provide doctors in the success/failure rate of medical treatments, thus providing vital information for future education and treatment. These autopsy findings may also provide families with unknown genetic predisposition that may save the lives of other members of the family.
Not IF, but WHEN elected, Tashina will be the first female to serve as Coroner of Towns County since it formed in 1856. She will also be the first female to serve in county government since 1976.
Tashina has much more than the minimum educational requirements. She took numerous classes including Anatomy and Physiology 101 and 102, Microbiology 101 and 102 and Biology 101 and 102. She also has a Bachelors of Science Degree in Psychology and a minor in Criminal Justice. Tashina served an internship with the Georgia Bureau of investigate and has worked at the local hospital, local attorney’s office and insurance agency. She has a broad spectrum of experience and highly skilled for the position.
