County withdraws employment offer for chief medical examiner

El Paso County leaders have made a move on a chief medical examiner, but it wasn’t the move most expected.

El Paso County Commissioners voted 4-to-0 to withdraw a job offer to Dr. Khalid Jaber. Jaber was originally offered the job contingent on his handling licensing requirements and obtaining a work visa.

In March, county commissioners revealed plans to hire a chief medical examiner from another country to take over the long-vacant medical examiner position.

Though the county has hired an interim medical examiner, El Paso County hasn’t had a doctor in the position permanently since the county fired Dr. Paul Schrode three years ago. A former El Paso County chief medical examiner, Dr. Juan Contin, has filled the role on a temporary basis for quite some time.

Dr. Khalid Jaber, currently living in Ireland, had his name thrown into the ring some time ago. However, there were questions whether he could take over the position.
At the time, he had not passed licensing tests for the state of Texas to take the job.

In March, commissioners unanimously voted 4-to-0 (1 absence) to hire Jaber contingent on his passing those tests and obtaining a visa to work legally in the United States.

According to online reports, Jaber has worked in the U.S. before.
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