Section 673. Deaths concerning which a coroner, coroner and coroner's physician or medical examiner has jurisdiction to investigate

1.  A
  coroner   or   medical   examiner  has  jurisdiction  and  authority  to
  investigate the death of every person dying within his county, or  whose
  body is found within the county, which is or appears to be:
    (a)  A  violent  death,  whether  by  criminal  violence,  suicide  or
  casualty;
    (b) A death caused by unlawful act or criminal neglect;
    (c) A death occurring in a suspicious, unusual or unexplained manner;
    (d) A death caused by suspected criminal abortion;
    (e) A death while  unattended  by  a  physician,  so  far  as  can  be
  discovered,  or where no physician able to certify the cause of death as
  provided in the public health law and  in  form  as  prescribed  by  the
  commissioner of health can be found;
    (f)  A death of a person confined in a public institution other than a
  hospital, infirmary or nursing home.
    2. Except as provided  in  subdivision  one  of  section  six  hundred
  seventy-four  of  this  article,  when a coroner is not a physician duly
  licensed to practice  medicine  in  this  state,  the  jurisdiction  and
  authority  specified  in  this  section must be exercised jointly by the
  coroner and a coroner's physician.