N.Y. CNT Law § 939

§ 939. Medical assistants in counties of New York and Kings. The\ndistrict attorneys of the county of New York and of the county of Kings\nare each authorized and empowered to appoint and at pleasure to remove a\nmedical assistant, who shall be a physician and surgeon, resident of the\ncounty in which he is appointed, and who shall have been for at least\nten years duly licensed to practice medicine in this state. It shall be\nthe duty of such medical assistant, under the supervision and direction\nof the district attorney, to examine into and report on all cases of\nsuspicious, sudden and unusual death and wounding within the county, and\nto perform such duties as the district attorney may direct in connection\nwith the official duties of such district attorney in the enforcement\nand administration of the criminal laws. Such medical assistant shall\nhave the power and authority, whenever so directed by the district\nattorney, to dissect, perform an autopsy upon, or attend an autopsy upon\nany dead body of a human being. The salaries of the medical assistants\nof the county of New York and of the county of Kings shall be fixed and\ndetermined by the district attorney of New York county and the board of\nestimate, respectively, and shall be county charges.\n