Rudolph Brown/Chief Photographer
British forensic scientist, John Slaughter, arrives at the Jamaica Conference Centre for the Bob Woolmer Coroner's Inquest last week to give testimony.
Howard Campbell, Sunday Gleaner Writer
The third week of testimony in the coroner's inquest into the death of Pakistan cricket coach Bob Woolmer began on October 29 at the Jamaica Conference Centre, downtown Kingston. Woolmer, 58, was found unconscious in the bathroom of his room at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel on March 18.
He was pronounced dead at the University Hospital of the West Indies later that day, one day after his team was knocked out of the Cricket World Cup by outsiders Ireland. Woolmer's death was just as sensational as Pakistan's loss, triggering numerous conspiracy theories. Seven months later, answers are still being sought.
Monday, October 29 (Day 10):Government pathologist, Dr. Ere Seshaiah, makes a third appearance on the stand. The 65-year-old Seshaiah's post-mortem technique is vigorously questioned by attorney Jermaine Spence, representing the International Cricket Council.
Spence described Dr. Seshaiah's finding that Woolmer was murdered by asphyxia resulting from manual strangulation associated with cypermethrin poisoning, as "unreliable".
In March, Dr. Seshaiah said asphyxia caused by manual strangulation was the cause of the 58-year-old Woolmer's death. During his testimony on October 25, he changed this to asphyxia caused by manual strangulation associated with cypermethrin poisoning.
Dr. Seshaiah said he changed his analysis after seeing traces of the pesticide in Woolmer's body while viewing the toxicology report on June 21.
Spence also challenged Dr. Se-shaiah's analysis of Woolmer's hyoid bone, which he said was fractured. An X-ray showed the bone was intact, confirming the findings of British pathologist Dr. Nathaniel Cary and Lorna Jean Martin, a leading South African pathologist, who both saw photos of the Woolmer hyoid bone.
Dr. Seshaiah would not recant. "I've already told the court my opinion, so I'm not deviating from my findings," he said.
The India-born Seshaiah's credentials were also scrutinised. After practising as a general practitioner for 20 years in his homeland, he became a pathologist 18 years ago and has worked in Jamaica since 1996.
Tuesday, October 30 (Day 11): Patricia Baker-Sinclair, a supervisor at a Kingston janitorial company, testified that she saw Woolmer and an Asian man counting money in a changing room at Sabina Park on March 12.
She said the money was in large coils of United States currency.
Marcia Dunbar, an analyst at the Government Forensic Laboratory in St. Andrew; Cheryl Corbin, director of the Forensic Sciences Centre in Barbados; Barbadian toxicologist Patrick Best, and British forensic scientist, John Slaughter, completed the list of witnesses.
Ms. Corbin said cypermethrin was found in a straw-coloured liquid taken from Woolmer's hotel room, and in stomach samples. The tests were conducted by Best.
The samples were sent to Barbados by Judith Mowatt, head of the Government Forensic Laboratory.
Wednesday, October 31 (Day 12): British forensic scientist, John Slaughter, was the key witness. Questioned by Director of Public Prosecutions Kent Pantry, he told the court that tests on a sample of Woolmer's blood done at the Forensic Science Service laboratories in London, detected no cypermethrin.
He said the tests were done on May 10.
This contradicted the results of tests done at the Government Forensic Laboratory in St. Andrew, and by toxicologist Patrick Best in Barbados. When asked by Mr. Pantry about the difference in results from the three locations, Slaughter said the sample from Jamaica might have been contaminated. "I can't think of any other explanation," he said.
On October 25, Marcia Dunbar, an analyst at the Government Forensic Laboratory, testified that one of the containers with samples taken from Woolmer's body, was contaminated.
Patricia Baker-Sinclair, a Cricket World Cup worker, made an abbreviated appearance. The previous day she testified that she saw Woolmer and an Asian man counting money in a changing room at Sabina Park on March 12.
Initially, Ms. Baker-Sinclair refused to testify, saying her life had been threatened.
Thursday, November 1 (Day 13): Probably the most dour day since the inquest began. Five witnesses took the stand, including Slaughter, who made his third appearance, and Detective Sergeant Devon Harris.
The latter, who is assigned to the Jamaica Constabulary Force's Scene of Crime Unit, told the inquest that he was given samples of evidence from Woolmer's room at the Jamaica Pegasus hotel on March 18, the day the Pakistan coach was pronounced dead.
He said, that evening, he took a champagne bottle, two glasses, and samples of blood and stomach contents to the Government Forensic Laboratory in St. Andrew. He said there were fingerprints on the smaller of the glasses bu he ran tests on it, did not say if they belonged to Woolmer.
André Miller, a duty manager at the Jamaica Pegasus, and Judine Murphy, a security officer assigned to the hotel, also testified. Both were at the hotel on the day Woolmer's body was found.
Also taking the stand was the boss of Patricia Baker-Sinclair, who took the stand on October 30 and October 31.
The inquest resumes tomorrow.
