Ranch Owner Recalls Finding Justice Antonin Scalia’s Body

NYT ^ | 2/14/16 | Alan Blinder

[Timpanagos1]

HOUSTON — Even after Justice Antonin Scalia did not respond to a knock at the door of his suite at the Cibolo Creek Ranch at 8:30 a.m. on Saturday, John B. Poindexter, the property’s owner, thought little of it.

[Protect the Bill of Rights]

A 57 year old friend passed in his sleep last July. There was no autopsy and death was ruled due to natural causes (based on his history). Not all unattended deaths require a post-mortem.

We do not know any details of Justice Scalia’s health, only generalities. He may have had more going on than we were aware of.

[ElayneJ]

Not all unattended deaths require a post-mortem.
____________________________

The unexpected death of a Supreme Court justice merits a postmortem. Don’t you agree?

[funfan]

Where did you read he complained of not feeling well?

[Cementjungle]

Judge Beebe said that County Judge Cinderela Guevera had ultimately pronounced Justice Scalia dead by telephone and “ruled it natural causes based on credible information.” She could not be reached for comment.

You can pronounce a death to be by natural causes over the telephone???

[fivecatsandadog]

A pillow over his head?

[riri]

It could be legit. He was old and didn't look all that healthy.

But, one must presume he had the best healthcare available.

Ya gotta admit, the timing couldn't be better for the dark side. Both of them. GOPe and D.

[GOP Poet]

bookmark

[Tucker39]

SHAFTER, Texas. What a quaint name for a place where a SCOTUS Associate Justice got snuffed. At least they can’t blame it on Cheney.

Get the names of all 40 guests and we can figure out which one snuffed him. NO AUTOPSY? Blatant tip-off.
Semi-Sarc.

[cricket]

Wondering same and why not more I ncredulity here. Almost 12 hour wait to get body out? What, no helicopter available anywhere to properly expedite?

Am betting if a guest had a heart attack at dinner table and needed medical assistNce, or one had to make quick trip to Washington...there would not be 12 hours of confusion and poor handling. Suspect also, , that private plane service readily available and air strip available for use, to/for/by guests at this very exclusive - and remote - ranch.

(And Justice of the Peace’ approves death call w/o having seen body and then ‘no’ autopsy? Unbelievable!)

[Cementjungle]

He complained of not feeling well the night before his death.

Says whom? The article says he stayed at the cocktail party until it ended, then went up to his suite. No hint of him feeling badly at all.

[doorgunner69]

A pillow over his head?

Read the article. Seems to be omitted from other accounts.

Doesn't every lie down to die after first putting a pillow over their head and not messing up the bedcloths?

[GOP Poet]

One thing very few are mentioning is the possibility that a certain amount of these decisions (such as the last rites) are most likely being decided by family members of Scalia. It is very likely that Scalia has a living will (in which his wife was most likely present as it was written) that request certain things. Scalia himself or his spiritual beliefs may have dictated the no autopsy. It is reasonable to expect a 79 year old man passed away in his sleep especially given a long plane ride etc.

I'm not saying there shouldn't be a denial of looking at all possibilities of his death. However the decisions of how his passed body is managed, I think it reasonable to expect that many decisions are dictated by family. Especially given his faith, how close he was with his wife, the numerous amount of children, as well as clearly laid out legal documents that outline certain decisions. Also given the length of time it took to discover his body (it may have been 12-13 hours since he passed.) They most likely wanted to have a caretaker manage his remains before much more was done.

I come from a Catholic family of nine and all of how Justice Scalia's remains have been handled are very similar to how patriarchs in my family have been managed after death. Of course he is a prominent individual whose death has a HUGE impact on our culture and politics. But in the end (to his family) he must be dealt with as they see fit.

[cricket]

/God rest his soul/

And pray for America's . .now that Justice Scalia is gone. Things always work out for our worst President. All, pathetically, amazing...

[Marie]

I’m pretty sure that your 57 YO friend wasn’t a Supreme Court justice. Also pretty sure that your friend didn’t have his own security detail or was a prominent public figure who’s death could change the historical course of an entire nation.

I could be wrong.

[CivilWarBrewing]

I find it hard to believe that no autopsy would be performed upon the death of a SUPREME COURT JUSTICE, one of the most critically pivotal members of our Judicial system!

[fruser1]

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2016/02/14/official-scalia-died-heart-attack/80375798/#

Guevara said she pronounced Scalia dead over the phone at 1:52 p.m. on Saturday. She planned to drive to the ranch — about 30 minutes south of Marfa — but returned when a U.S. Marshal told her by phone: “It’s not necessary for you to come, judge. If you’re asking for an autopsy, that’s what we need to clarify.”

Guevara said she wanted to clarify details of Scalia’s death before deciding whether to order an autopsy.

“As part of my investigation, one of the things I did ask the sheriff and the U.S. Marshal: ‘Were there any signs of foul play?’ And they said, ‘Absolutely not.’ At that time I still wanted to be careful, and asked them if (Scalia’s) physician would call me.”

The justice’s personal doctor called her at 8 p.m. Saturday night. She said the physician told her that Scalia had a shoulder problem last week and underwent an MRI. Scalia also suffered several chronic ailments, Guevara said.

“I felt comfortable what I knew was going on with him physically,” she said.

[Islander7]

Poindexter seems like a standup guy.

Vietnam-era captain campaigns for soldiers' recognition

--- snip ---

Poindexter was reading the book, which included an account of a daring rescue and ferocious battle that he had led, when he realized that few of his men had received the medals he had requested for them and they had earned.

“I was devastated,” says Poindexter, whose tour of duty ended shortly after the bloody battle. “I was leveled. I was on the floor.”

The year was 2003, and Poindexter immediately filed new paperwork for the men of Troop A, 11th Armored Cavalry. But even then, only 14 new medals were approved. All told, about 20 of 150 members of the deserving crew were recognized.

--- end ---

It was his bad luck to have 0bama make the award.

[Bloody Sam Roberts]

A pillow over his head?

I wonder if Mr. Poindexter meant exactly that...a pillow above his head...rather than a pillow over his face...covering his head.

[GOP Poet]

I meant to say “I’m not saying there should be a denial of looking at all possibilities of his death” in my previous post.

[yarddog]

My Grandfather died when he was 86. He had been in a serious car wreck and was hospitalized for two weeks.

He was released from the hospital and Daddy took him home, put him in bed and left. Granddaddy lived way out in the woods. Grandmother was in a nursing home.

After a few hours, Mother and Daddy drove the 20 odd miles to check on him. When they got there they found that he had gotten out of bed, walked to the banks of a creek near his house. He had just sat down by the creek and died.

The sheriff and ambulance came tho there was obviously no need for the ambulance. The sheriff told my parents that since he did not die in a hospital, there would have to be an autopsy. Of course everyone knew he had died of a heart attack which is what the autopsy also revealed.

The point is that even if there was no suspicion at all, an autopsy was still required.