Asten

Don't know if the coroner is elected or civil service in the real LA County. Then we wind up in the world of the show so the real world did not matter at that point. They really do not delve into Asten's background other than he has a wife and perhaps children. I always enjoyed the character and the actor behind him in John S Ragin. I think Ragin was so good that he went from being a grumpy executive type with a couple minutes of screen time early in the series to having regular input to Quincy and being a fairly friendly but still firm co-worker later on. Ragin lent depth to the show that was sorely needed just like having Gary Walberg as Quincy's police connection. Anyways, my opinion is without a definitive episode that says otherwise that Asten was the top administrator at that office.