AUTOPSY 2?
by Barry Alleyne
THE LEGAL TEAM representing the family of former Barbados Exhibition winner I’Akobi Maloney is exploring the possibility of having his body exhumed, so a secondary post-mortem can be done independently to prove cause of death.
Attorney-at-law Andrew Pilgrim, who is working in conjunction with David Comissiong, explained yesterday his legal squad was not on a witch-hunt of the Royal Barbados Police Force, but simply seeking to “cover all bases” in determining how the 23-year-old Maloney died.
Maloney died on June 17 this year, a few hours after tendering his resignation at the Arawak Cement Plant in St Lucy, where he was employed as a trainee engineer.
‘At the outset, there was a concern to get as neutral and unbiased an opinion on I’Akobi’s death as possible,” Pilgrim told the DAILY NATION after yesterday’s five-hour court proceeding.
“There was a long time before his mother was notified of her son’s death, and we just want to guarantee as much as possible that everything is being done in a proper way.
“Exhumation was sought after it was found to be difficult for the mother to have her own independent medical advisor present at the post mortem, and since that failed, the question should be asked if exhumation could prove, alter or affect any findings in the initial post mortem report.
“We want to make sure everything in this matter is straight. We have to cover all our bases,” Pilgrim concluded.
Maloney, a devout Rastafarian, was found dead in the water at Landlock, St Lucy, with multiple facial and bodily injuries.
A Coroner’s Inquest into his death started yesterday at the Coroner’s Court, Roebuck Street, St Michael, presided over by the island’s coroner, Magistrate Faith Marshall-Harris.
Seven witnesses, including Maloney’s mother Marguerita and forensic pathologist Dr Carl Winskog of Sweden, gave evidence yesterday.
Winskog said his cause of death was determined to be drowning, since Maloney’s lungs were inflated with water, but that other injuries on the body were consistent with blunt force trauma associated with a fall, which did contribute to Maloney’s death.
Also yesterday, Comissiong, in an opening statement, submitted the lawyers were concerned with the evidence at the Inquest being controlled by the Royal Barbados Police Force.
“There is a built-in defect in the system of a Coroner’s Inquest as it relates to a situation in which a death has occurred whilst a person is in the custody of the Royal Barbados Police Force, or even in circumstances in which there is a question of police involvement,” Comissiong told the court.
According to Comissiong, lawyers representing the family believe that in such a situation, any Coroner’s Inquest should be “truly independent” of the Royal Barbados Police Force.
“It amounts to inviting the police to investigate themselves,” the attorney claimed.
In response, Coroner Marshall-Harris said she would not postpone or adjourn the inquest with police leading the evidence, since it was in her power after hearing all the evidence to recommend further action and forward the file to the country’s Director of Public Prosecutions if she saw fit.
Tags: Andrew Pilgrim, Arawak Cement Plant, autopsy, Coroner, David Comissiong, Director of Public Prosecutions, Dr. Carl Winskog, drowning, evidence, exhumation, Faith Marshall-Harris, forensic pathologist, inquest, post mortem, Royal Barbados Police Force
November 14th, 2008 at 10:02 pm
I think that they should perform the secondary post mortem and actually get a forensic pathologist who is accustomed to seeing many police brutality and homicidal cases. Dr. Winskog is a f.p from Norway and there are predominantly suicides. I would recommend Dr. Victor Weedn, medical examiner from NJ, who has many years of that type of specific experience.
November 18th, 2008 at 10:45 pm
I am Swedish. Please check facts first. I would also recommend that you study, and hopefully therefore understand, what the role of a forensic pathologist is all about. I would also like to see statistics on manner of death in Norway. “Taiga” seems to very well informed - could you please be so kind…
As a trained forensic pathologist I handle and have seen numerous of exactly the cases “Taiga” describes. I done thousands of cases which involves suicides, homicides, accidents and other things that most people would not even think about.
I have no objections to a second post mortem but that is the Coroners decision.
November 19th, 2008 at 11:26 pm
Independence Day is coming up (no puns intended)! It would be good to check the facts first in any case! I still wonder if I’Akobi’s lungs were inflated with air, water, blood or pieces of his liver… I wonder if Carl can inform further…. Give thanks for the “conclusive?” facts
November 24th, 2008 at 8:36 am
I consider myself as independent. I am hired by the people and paid with tax money - I work for the people! The Forensic Science Centre is not a part of the police - but yet a part of the legal system…
I protect my professionality and am therefore sorry - but I will not make any comments on the facts of the case. However, the legal representatives of the family have a copy of my report and I can assure you that what is written there was found and what was found is written…
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