A statement issued by the U.S. Marshals Service on Sunday, a day after Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia died while at a ranch in Texas, had many wondering whether his death could have been prevented.
“The U.S. Marshals Service routinely coordinates with the U.S. Supreme Court police to provide security for the Justices, however, Justices may decline USMS protection,” the statement read, according to CBS News. “In this instance, the USMS detail was declined for the personal trip to the hunting resort in Texas, so USMS personnel were not present at the ranch.”
It continued, “Deputy U.S. Marshals from the Western District of Texas responded immediately upon notification of Justice Scalia’s passing.”
U.S. Marshals Service statement about why there was no security detail with Justice Scalia at the hunting resort. pic.twitter.com/Ov6vwefZvT
— Sari Horwitz (@SariHorwitz) February 15, 2016
According to The Washington Post, however, Presidio County Judge Cinderella Guevara pronounced Scalia dead of natural causes — though she did so without ever seeing the body or ordering an autopsy.
Instead, she relied on testimony from law enforcement agents, who assured her “there were no signs of foul play,” as well as testimony from Scalia’s physician, who claimed that the justice had died from a buildup of several chronic conditions.
She also took into consideration testimony from John Poindexter, the owner of the ranch where Scalia died.
Why no autopsy on #JusticeScalia?
Presidio County's top official explains here: https://t.co/PDM3Lvu7VT pic.twitter.com/f8hJKv6Bmn
— Jason Whitely (@JasonWhitely) February 14, 2016