Arkansas Code
Subchapter 3 - State Crime Laboratory
§ 12-12-317. Death certificates

(a) Except as provided under subsection (b) of this section, the certificate of death of a person whose death is investigated under this subchapter shall be made by the State Medical Examiner or by his or her designee or by the county coroner, whoever conducted the investigation.
(b) The examiner or his or her designee shall make and sign a certificate of death if:
(1)
(A) The examiner or his or her designee performs a postmortem examination.
(B) The person who performs the postmortem examination shall make and sign the certificate of death; or

(2)
(A) The certificate of death is for a person executed for a capital offense.
(B) The examiner or his or her designee shall list on the certificate of death of a person executed for a capital offense the:
(i) Manner of death as “Pursuant to a judicial sentence of death — Execution”; and
(ii) Cause of death as “electrocution” or “lethal injection”, as applicable.

(c) When a petition is filed with a court of competent jurisdiction to change the cause or manner of death listed on a certificate of death which has been signed by the examiner or by his or her designee, the State Crime Laboratory shall be notified of such petition, and the examiner or his or her designee shall be allowed to hear testimony presented by the petitioner and shall be given an opportunity to present evidence to the court to support the original ruling of the examiner or his or her designee who signed the certificate of death.