coroner's jury

▪ law

      a group summoned from a district to assist a coroner in determining the cause of a person's death. The number of jurors generally ranges from 6 to 20. Even in countries where the jury system is strong, the coroner's jury, which originated in medieval England, is a disappearing form.

      The coroner's jury resembles the grand jury in that it does not try cases but rather reviews evidence that may be relevant at a trial. The jury's verdict states how, when, and where the deceased died. If the jury concludes that the deceased died by murder or manslaughter, it can name suspects, and the coroner can order arrest and detainment, pending grand jury action.

      The verdict of a coroner's jury is admissible only as evidence of the fact of death, which is occasionally an issue in cases of mass accidents or deaths in which the bodies are difficult to identify.

      Critics of the coroner's jury system assert that jurors are unable to understand complex medical questions, that they tend to rubber-stamp the coroner's opinion, and that the costs of the office do not justify its existence. Prosecutors suspecting foul play often proceed with investigations even after a coroner's jury verdict has found that death was the result of natural or accidental causes.

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