N.Y. Pub. Health Law § 4215

§ 4215. Cadavers; burial after autopsy and dissection. 1. In all cases\nin which a dissection has been made, the provisions of this article,\nrequiring the burial or other lawful disposition of a body of a deceased\nperson, and the provisions of law providing for the punishment of\ninterference with or injuries to it, apply equally to the remains of the\nbody after dissection as soon as the lawful purposes of such dissection\nhave been accomplished.\n 2. In all cases in which an autopsy or dissection has been made of an\nunclaimed body, the provisions of this article requiring the burial or\nother lawful disposition of the body of a deceased person and punishing,\ninterference with or injuries to it, shall apply equally to the remains\nof such body as soon as the lawful purposes of such autopsy or\ndissection have been accomplished, except that the persons having\npossession of the body may, in their discretion, cause it to be either\nburied or cremated, or may retain parts of such body for scientific\npurposes.\n