Scott Wants More Names For Broward M.E. Job
MIAMI (CBSMiami.com) – Florida Governor Rick Scott has asked for more names to be submitted for the Broward County Medical Examiner's job.
Currently, Dr. Joshua Perper is Broward County's M.E.; but Governor Scott hasn't made a decision on whether to keep Perper on the job.
Perper became a celebrity during the Anna Nicole Smith event. His office conducted the examination and autopsy of Smith after she was found dead in a hotel room.
Governor Scott's office said he wanted more options before naming Broward's next medical examiner and asked the Medical Examiners Commission to submit additional names to consider for the Broward County Medical Examiner petition.
"The governor surprised us by making his decision," Perper told CBS4's Ted Scouten. "I cannot react on this decision. I cannot even criticize it because I don't know what the ground he made it."
The governor's office said Dr. Perper is still in the running for the job, but is now in competition with more candidates.
Last year, federal agents found the high-profile death of the widow of the founder of the Fontainebleau to be murder, not a slip and fall accident as Dr. Perper's office initially ruled.
"Look, the only person who doesn't make mistakes is God, I don't know of any other person who is free of mistakes," Dr. Perper said.
Perper also recently suffered a personal embarrassment after his son, also a doctor, was charged with drug trafficking after raids on South Florida pain clinics.
Still, Dr. David Thomas of Nova Southeastern University is surprised, especially knowing Perper is highly recommended by state medical examiners.
"Hopefully, the governor will consider all the factions and reappoint him, because I'm not certain we can get a medical examiner for Broward County," Thomas said.
Broward County Sheriff Al Lamberti only learned of the governor's decision Thursday, but said whoever holds the job plays a key role in putting criminals behind bars.
"It's extremely critical, our investigations rely on evidence we get from them so that relationship has to be a solid relationship," Sheriff Lamberti said.
Dr. Perper said if he is not reappointed, he will stay on the job until a replacement is named. After that, Perper said he would plan to retire.
