Adrienne Alvarez Evening Anchor/Reporter
EL PASO - Commissioners Court members decided to bring the current acting medical examiner, Dr. Juan Contin, on as an official employee while they continue their search for a chief medical examiner.
This, after questions were raised at last week's meeting about whether Contin can legally perform autopsies while just a contractor with the County.
A county attorney, Holly Lytle, says there's nothing illegal about the current contract, but making Contin an official county employee may help.
"Both situations are legal," she said. "The only difference, that might be a positive difference, that since so many people lodged complaints about the independent contractor relationship, hopefully it will smooth and those complaints will stop," she said.
A woman also accused the county of never deputizing Contin.
County Judge Veronica Escobar says, that's not true.
"We could have just had the independent contractor situation, or just the oath, but we did both, to be safe, to cover all bases," said Escobar.
The county's had trouble replacing former Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Paul Shrode since his credentials came under question, and was fired.
