(a)  Except as provided in this section, a person who dissects or mutilates a dead human body is guilty of a felony punishable by imprisonment for not more than three (3) years, or a fine of not more than five thousand dollars ($5,000), or both.

Terms Used In Rhode Island General Laws 11-20-1.1

  • Gift: A voluntary transfer or conveyance of property without consideration, or for less than full and adequate consideration based on fair market value.
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • person: may be construed to extend to and include co-partnerships and bodies corporate and politic. See Rhode Island General Laws 43-3-6

(b)  This section does not apply to:

(1)  A physician or surgeon acting on the order of a court of competent jurisdiction, a coroner or other qualified officer, a licensed funeral director or a licensed embalmer;

(2)  Dissection to determine the cause of death when authorized by the nearest living kin of the deceased;

(3)  Unclaimed dead human bodies delivered by state or county authorities to regularly chartered institutions for scientific research;

(4)  The necessary mutilation incident to embalming a dead human body when authorized by nearest living kin, a court of competent jurisdiction or other qualified officer; or

(5)  Conduct authorized by the Uniform Anatomical Gift Act, chapter 18.6 of Title 23.

History of Section.
P.L. 1998, ch. 433, § 1.