No broken bones after fall, says pathologist
I’AKOBI MALONEY did not sustain a single broken bone after falling 80 feet from a cliff to his death.
But pathologist, Dr Carl Winskog said that was not unusual.
“You would assume there would be broken bones, but that is not a certain fact,” he stated under cross examination by Andrew Pilgrim.
He explained that the absence of broken bones could be for a number of reasons including how the body fell and the surface it fell on. But he admitted that if it was a hard surface like a rock the chances of broken bones would be higher, although he pointed out that the waves could have cushioned the blow to Maloney’s body.
Dr Winskog reported that there was damage to Maloney’s abdomen and he also had a ruptured liver.
He pointed out that there were several injuries on the body - some ante-mortem and some post mortem.
Questioned further by Pilgrim, the doctor explained that when a person drowned it was not normal for water to be in that person’s lungs.
He said the water taken in would not penetrate the lungs but would lead to inflation of the lungs.
The doctor also stated that he saw no hole at the back of Maloney’s head, but testified that there was an injury to the scalp, which was bleeding.
He said Maloney’s “thick dreads” would have protected his head.
He also stated that Maloney’s left eye was not displaced out of the socket, explaining that injuries could make a person’s appearance look different.
Asked if the injuries to Maloney’s head and liver could have been sustained other than from a fall, the pathologist told Pilgrim he would have to present him with other scenarios. However, he stated they could not have been caused by a kick or fist.
Tags: abdomen, Andrew Pilgrim, cushioned fall, Dr. Carl Winskog, drowning, fist, forensic pathologist, head injury, kick, left eye, liver, lungs inflated, no broken bones, scalp