Death due to blunt trauma to head & neck
GOVERNMENT Forensic Pathologist Dr. Nehaul Singh who performed a post mortem on the body of Latchman Seeram, called ‘Coolie Boy’, testified that the cause of death was asphyxiation, due to broncho aspiration caused by blunt trauma to head and neck.
Eye witness Kwesi McKay said that he was in Commerce Street, Georgetown on July 3, 2005,when he saw accused Compton Fernandes called ‘Madman’ beat Latchman Seeram aka ‘Coolie Boy’, now deceased.
Cross-examined by defence counsel Glenn Hanoman the doctor agreed that some people die from asthmatic attacks caused by dust and a whole lot of external and internal factors.
But the doctor found no evidence that the deceased had suffered an asthmatic attack, although there were pre-existing conditions of emphysema and antracosis.
He said that the severe oedema in the deceased’s brain was caused by blunt trauma to the head and neck.  The length of time  within which  the oedema  would have set in depended  on the severity of the blunt  trauma but it could have been  within  4 minutes and depending  on the severity of the trauma and the type , severe oedema could have occurred within half an hour or more.
He could not definitively say whether a singular blow to the neck or to the head could have resulted in the asphyxiation which caused death.
In medicine, all the injuries are taken as a whole and due to multiple blunt trauma, this asphyxiation occurred, the doctor said.
According to him, cause of death – asphyxiation due o Broncho aspiration caused by blunt trauma to head and neck.
Earlier, eyewitness Kwesi McKay, a clothes vendor stated that he was at his stall on the day in question.  He saw when the deceased- a dougla man was brought to Commerce Street, by the accused and another man.
The other man tied his hands to a cart and went across the road.  The man was crying when he was brought.
The accused started beating the guy who fell down and the accused continued beating him.
The accused stamped the guy on his head with his foot, after which the accused walked up and down with a knife in his hand.
The injured man was panting for breath.  The police arrived shortly after.
A confrontation  was held by the police  later the said day  at Brickdam Police Station where he repeated  what he had seen to the accused who responded  “I cuff the man and he fell down and knock his head”
Cross-examined by Mr. Glenn Hanoman, the witness admitted that he had gone to Tiger Bay, with Kerene Jacobs – the vendor whose clothes had been stolen.   They went in search of ‘{Pacooman’ and he came back to Commerce Street with them.
He denied he was paid by MarK Rodney and Kerene Jacobs – the vendors.
Witness also denied that he had agreed with the others”to put the blame on the madman “the accused” and that he had given the statement to the police to protect the others.
He denied that at least 5 persons beat the deceased.   He did not know if the man was beaten elsewhere but when he saw him at Commerce Street that morning, he was being beaten by the accused.
During the course of the trial yesterday afternoon, The Prosecution  headed by Miss Prithima Kissoon in association with  Lawyers, Judith Gildharie-Mursalin and Shivrani Balcharan, applied to the court  for the right to  lead additional evidence.
A voir dire (a trial within a trial) is being held by Justice James Bovell-Drakes who will decide whether or not to accept such an application.
The trial is continuing.