San Francisco’s chief M.E. Dr. Michael Hunter picked for county medical examiner

STOCKTON — County officials are preparing to hire San Francisco’s chief medical examiner, Dr. Michael Hunter, to head San Joaquin County’s new Office of the Chief Medical Examiner, according to the Board of Supervisors’ agenda for Tuesday’s meeting.

The new county department is required to be operational by July 1, 2020.

According to Tuesday’s agenda, supervisors will vote on a contract, effective this July 1, that would pay the 52-year-old Hunter a total of $1,205,740 over its four-year term. Hunter has been a chief medical examiner for the past 17 years.

Supervisors voted more than one year ago to establish a new, independent, medical examiner’s office. Until now, coroner’s duties have been performed by the San Joaquin County Sheriff, who ruled on causes of death after the county’s forensic pathologists conducted autopsies.

But in late 2017, the county’s forensic pathologists, Dr. Bennet Omalu and Dr. Susan Parson, resigned from their positions, alleging interference by thenSheriff Steve Moore. The county has relied on outside contractors for its death investigations ever since.

According to the county, the recruitment for the new position began more than 13 months ago. The county said

five applicants went through screening interviews conducted by County Administrator Monica Nino and other top officials. Three applicants ultimately were interviewed by the supervisors during closed-session meetings.

Hunter, who hosts the Reelz Channel series “Autopsy: The Last Hours Of...” holds a degree from the Medical University of South Carolina and is certified in forensic pathology, anatomic,

and clinical pathology by the American Board of Pathology.

Additionally, Hunter is

certified by the Commission on Peace Officers Standards and Training as a peace officer in California, and is a

member of the California Coroners Association and the National Association of Medical Examiners.