(1) A person commits abuse of a corpse if, without statutory or court-ordered authority, the person:
(a) Removes the body or remains of any person from a grave or other place
of sepulcher without the consent of the person who has the right to dispose of the
remains pursuant to section 15-19-106; or
(b) Treats the body or remains of any person in a way that would outrage
normal family sensibilities.
(2) Abuse of a corpse is a class 6 felony.
(3) (a) A defendant may not be convicted of both abuse of a corpse, as
described in subsection (1) of this section, and tampering with a deceased human
body, as described in section 18-8-610.5 (1), if the act arises out of a single incident.
(b) If a defendant is charged with both abuse of a corpse, as described in
subsection (1) of this section, and tampering with a deceased human body, as
described in section 18-8-610.5 (1), the court shall proceed pursuant to section 18-1-408.
L. 71: R&RE, p. 483, § 1. C.R.S. 1963: § 40-13-101. L. 2005: Entire section amended, p. 206, § 1, effective July 1. L. 2020: IP(1), (1)(a), and (2) amended and (3) added, (HB 20-1148), ch. 100, p. 387, § 2, effective September 14.
