Assistant medical examiner in Milwaukee Co. resigns

MILWAUKEE -- The Milwaukee County Medical Examiner's Office confirms that assistant medical examiner Christopher Poulos resigned, effective October 31st. The timing of the resignation is being questioned by some who are close to the case.

Attorney Jonathan Safran represents the girlfriend and children of Derek Williams who died in 2011 after begging for air in the back of a Milwaukee squad car. Safran just recently learned of Poulos's resignation. Poulos initially ruled that Williams died of natural causes, without watching the police video of the incident or looking at all of the police reports. After reviewing all of that evidence, Williams' cause of death was changed to homicide, over a year later. Safran questions why the public wasn't notified of the resignation. He told FOX6 News, "With all these investigations going on, with an inquest and everything else, why that wouldn’t have been disclosed earlier, I don’t understand.”

Milwaukee County Supervisor David Bowen says Poulos's resignation suggests there has been wrong doing in the situation and questioned why County Executive Chris Abele didn't release the information sooner. Abele's office would only confirm Poulos' resignation and the date, but said he could not comment on personnel matters.

Monitor FOX6 News and FOX6Now.com for updates on this developing story.