EXCULSIVE: Texas Senate Committee Investigating Complaint Involving Ector County Medical Examiner's Office
By: Dylan Brooks
Updated: March 4, 2013
AUSTIN -- A Texas Senate Committee is looking into accusations of unconstitutional activity in Texas medical examiners offices.
On March 1st, Big 2 was the first to report that document consultant David Fisher had filed a complaint with the Texas State Bar regarding the Ector County Medical Examiner's Office.
The complaint states that numerous autopsies tied to Ector County Medical Examiner's Office investigation -- including the recent autopsy of Russian adoptee Max Shatto -- were procedurally mishandled.
In the complaint, Fisher states that Ector County Medical Examiner Nathan Halloway also holds a second position as a physician.
Fisher claims that Texas law prohibits medical examiners from holding a second position of employment.
Furthermore, Fisher has questioned the constitutionality of the agreement that Ector County has with the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office.
Under the Ector County agreement, bodies from Ector County that are being investigated are sent to Fort Worth for autopsies.
Officials in the Texas Legislature tell Big 2 that they've received Fisher's complaint.
Now, members of the Texas Senate Criminal Justice Committee have started an investigation into the matter.
On March 1st, Big 2 was the first to report that document consultant David Fisher had filed a complaint with the Texas State Bar regarding the Ector County Medical Examiner's Office.
The complaint states that numerous autopsies tied to Ector County Medical Examiner's Office investigation -- including the recent autopsy of Russian adoptee Max Shatto -- were procedurally mishandled.
In the complaint, Fisher states that Ector County Medical Examiner Nathan Halloway also holds a second position as a physician.
Fisher claims that Texas law prohibits medical examiners from holding a second position of employment.
Furthermore, Fisher has questioned the constitutionality of the agreement that Ector County has with the Tarrant County Medical Examiner's Office.
Under the Ector County agreement, bodies from Ector County that are being investigated are sent to Fort Worth for autopsies.
Officials in the Texas Legislature tell Big 2 that they've received Fisher's complaint.
Now, members of the Texas Senate Criminal Justice Committee have started an investigation into the matter.
