Tarrant County to extend medical examiner’s term through December

The Tarrant County Commissioners Court approved an agreement Tuesday to extend Nizam Peerwani’s service as medical examiner through Dec. 31.

Peerwani has served as the Tarrant County Medical Examiner for over 40 years. In May, he announced that he would retire at the end September amid an investigation into the Tarrant County Medical Examiner’s Office for dozens of mistakes and false information given by Peerwani.

The Dallas County District Attorney is reviewing the cases involving Deputy Medical Examiner Marc Krouse, who works in a professional association formed by Peerwani.

Court documents reported 50 mistakes in 27 autopsies performed by Krouse, the Star-Telegram previously reported.

The agreement will prevent gaps in service because the county has not found a replacement for Peerwani, who will receive $60,000 a month.

County Judge Glen Whitley said the commissioners feel confident about the way they’re going forward with the agreement.

“We have got to make sure that things can continue to work through the system and that we don’t all of a sudden find ourselves without the ability to move forward,” he said.

The search for a replacement is going well, Whitley said, and the county expects to interview candidates at the beginning of October.