Texas judge reveals decision to forgo autopsy on Scalia
D.C. | WASHINGTON — The Texas county judge who decided no autopsy was needed following the death of Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia has disclosed new details about Scalia’s health in the days before he died.
Presidio County Judge Cinderela Guevara told The Associated Press on Monday she spoke with Scalia’s doctor on the day he was found dead in his room at a remote Texas ranch. She said the doctor told her that Scalia had a history of heart trouble, high blood pressure and was considered too weak to undergo surgery for a recent shoulder injury.
Those details are seemingly at odds with recollections of friends who described Scalia as his usual, happy self during the days leading up to his death. News that the 79-year-old justice was in declining health may come as a surprise to the public, but unlike presidents, the high court’s members don’t provide regular health disclosures.
Guevara told the AP that she consulted with Scalia’s personal physician and local and federal investigators, who said there were no signs of foul play, before concluding that he had died of natural causes. She said she spoke with a “Dr. Monahan” at some point after 8 p.m. Saturday to discuss Scalia’s health history.
Rear Adm. Brian P. Monahan is the attending physician for members of Congress and the Supreme Court.
TWO VISITS
Guevara said Monahan told her Scalia had gone to the doctor’s office on both Wednesday and Thursday before traveling to Texas, and had an MRI on his shoulder. She said Monahan told her surgery was needed, but that Scalia wasn’t strong enough to endure surgery so rehabilitation was recommended.
Scalia apparently had mentioned to some people at the ranch he was not feeling well, according to Guevara. She said that information came from her conversations with Presidio County Sheriff Danny Dominguez and a U.S. marshal she identified as Ken Roberts, both of whom had seen Scalia’s body and determined there was no foul play.
State law allows an inquest to be performed by phone. Guevara said she followed the procedure because both justices of the peace serving the region were out of town and she was also about 65 miles away from the resort.
Guevara certified Scalia’s death by telephone about 1:52 p.m. Saturday. She had previously conducted two other death inquests by phone.
In the nation’s capital, where flags flew at halfstaff at the White House and Supreme Court, the political sniping soared over replacing Scalia on the bench, raising the prospect of a court short-handed for some time.
President Barack Obama has pledged a nomination “in due time.” But the Senate’s top Republican, Majority Leader Mitch McConnell of Kentucky, thinks it should wait for the next president.
AT A GLANCE