Stan Against Evil is back! The season is off to a strong start as a love letter to The X-Files, Koljack the Night Stalker, and Kaiju movies.
The second episode entitled The Hex Files has Agent Nesbitt of the New Hampshire Bureau for Paranormal Phenomena (NHBPP) performing an autopsy on a demonic victim.
Sheriff Evie asked if they could just go in and perform an autopsy, which raises the issue of who can perform autopsies.
New Hampshire law on performance of autopsies state:
I. If the supervising medical examiner, attorney general, or county attorney deems that an autopsy is necessary, he or she shall direct that one be made. The commissioner of the department of health and human services may, pursuant to RSA 126-A:5, V, request an autopsy of any individual who dies while admitted to, a resident of, or receiving care from New Hampshire hospital, Glencliff home, or any other residential facility operated by the department or a contract service provider.
II. The supervising medical examiner shall have the authority to conduct an autopsy and shall comply with any request by the attorney general, a county attorney, or the commissioner of health and human services to perform an autopsy.
N.H. Rev. Stat. Ann. § 611-B:17.
Agent Nesbitt performed an autopsy without a determination of necessity by the supervising medical examiner, attorney, or county attorney. While Evie is the town sheriff, she does not hold any of the required positions to order an autopsy. While Evie arguably had lawful access to the morgue in her official position, she cannot give permission for an autopsy to be performed. However, Sheriff Evie is in position to ask any of the authorized officials to grant Agent Nesbitt permission to perform an autopsy. Evie could have added that Nesbitt even had her own gloves if the county had budget concerns…
