The "King's Man".
The modern coroner is the heir of a long and honoured tradition with its roots in Anglo-Saxon England. The primary duty of the ancient "crowner" or "King's man" was to support the interests of the King of England by investigating violent deaths. The modern counterpart of this royal officer has a much broader range of duties in the interests of justice and the state. Not only do today's coroners act as "ombudsmen for the dead", but they also are becoming increasingly involved in medico-legal investigations of service to the living.
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Markesteyn