ALABAMA: (Houston, Henry, Dale Counties) The Alabama Coroner’s Training Commission, authorized by the Alabama Legislature in Code of Alabama 11-5-31, has sent out warning letters to Coroners across the state.
The members of the Alabama Coroner’s Training Commission were appointed and formed within 60 days of April 25, 2006. By Alabama Law, the Training Commission was mandated to “develop and periodically revise a list of approved training programs for meeting the minimum standard training for coroners and their designated assistants.”
“Effective March 1, 2007, any coroner, deputy coroner, or any person authorized to officially represent the county coroner shall complete 12 hours of training, approved by the commission, during each calendar year he or she serves as coroner.”
Letters were sent to Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd, who has been Coroner since 1987; Henry County Coroner Derek Wright, who has been Coroner for 20 years; and Dale County Coroner John Cawley, who is in his first term as Coroner.
Dale County Coroner John Cawley has his 12 hours and sent the documentation, prior to now, to the Chairman of the Coroner’s Training Commission, which is Baldwin County Coroner Brian Pierce. That issue was a mistake on the part of the Alabama Coroner’s Training Commission. Reports are Pierce had missed the email and Cawley has been in compliance long before the Alabama Coroner’s Training Commission letter.
Henry County Coroner Derek Wright has completed the required training of the 12 hours. The documentation was at the Henry County Probate/County Commission Office. It had not been forwarded to the Alabama Coroner’s Training Commission, but has been handled now. Wright is in compliance.
Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd, elected in 1987, stated to WDHN that he was sent an email in February and saw it last week asking if he had his certificate, but he did not have one. Byrd told WDHN he did not know what is was or what to do, and that he had never had to have training. Robert Byrd told WDHN that he does continuing education as a funeral director and for insurance.
According to some involved in the Alabama Coroner’s Association there has been discussion of Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd not being involved in the Coroner Association and never having any continuing education courses. These discussions have taken place at Continuing Education Classes over the past.
The training for a funeral director is 8 hours every two years, while a Coroner is 12 hours every calender year. Being a funeral director is not a qualification to be Coroner and both are two distinctively different roles. According to sources ,the continuing education as a funeral director does not fulfill the requirements of the Alabama Coroner’s Training Commission.
Geneva County Coroner Donny Adkinson works with a funeral home. Dale County Coroner John Cawley works and co-owns a funeral home. Henry County Coroner Derek Wright owns a funeral home. All three attended the training course put on by the Alabama Coroner’s Training Commission held in Enterprise.
Coffee County Coroner Arnold Woodham, not in the funeral home business, attended the training course in Enterprise that was put on by the Alabama Coroner Training Commission. Both Woodham and Cawley are in their first term as Coroner and were aware of the required training requirements.
Alabama Law, 11-5-31 (g) reads “A coroner or his designated assistant who fails to complete minimum annual in-service training required by this article may be suspended from office, without pay, by the Governor for not more than 90 days. At the end of the suspension period, the Governor may continue the suspension of the coroner and his or her designated assistants until he or she completes the annual minimum in-service training.
According to information, Houston County Coroner Robert Byrd has said, before this issue, that he intends to retire and not seek re-election. Election year is in 2026 and the new Coroner would take office in January 2027. There has been no mention of what Coroner Robert Byrd’s intentions will be with the required training this year and in 2026 with him planning on retiring. If he plans to finish his term, then Byrd has until May to obtain the required 12 hours of continuing education for 2025. Then again 12 hours in 2026.
Being Coroner is 24 hours a day, 7 days per week, on call duty. No one ever makes appointments to die, so all calls are sudden and without notice. Byrd’s day Saturday began with a traffic death, which occurred at 5:27 AM. Followed by, later in the morning on Saturday, with an apparent self inflicted gunshot death. At age 68, Byrd has served since 1987; one grows tired of always being on call, which is in addition to his funeral home. With the demands of both leave little family and grandchildren time.
NOTHING WRITTEN IS INTENDED TO BE CRITICAL OF HOUSTON COUNTY CORONER ROBERT BYRD. IT IS JUST FACTUAL INFORMATION S RSN KNOWS IT TO BE. ALSO THERE IS NO SPECULATION THAT BYRD WILL OR WILL NOT RETIRE BEFORE HIS TERM ENDS OR COMPLETE THE REQUIRED 24 HOURS TRAINING FOR HIS LAST TWO YEAR IN OFFICE. (12 HOURS EACH YEAR).
RSN has not reached out to Coroner Byrd to see his intentions. His comments were from WDHN who broke this story.
