A consultant pathologist who testified at the trial of Stephen Bitter, who was last Friday freed of murdering his 91-year-old grandfather, said the non-reference to any heart complication in the post-mortem report was a serious omission.

Murari Shangari, who was called to the witness stand in the Home Circuit Court, said it was more likely that the grandfather's death was caused by a heart attack.

The post-mortem report done by consultant forensic pathologist Ere Seshaiah had suggested that the granddad, Ronald Bitter, had been beaten by Stephen.

Medical history left out

However, Seshaiah admitted that his report had not taken Bitter's medical history into consideration, particularly the fact that he had suffered a heart attack just days before his death.

Shangari said the broken bones evident in Bitter's body could have resulted from the application of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) from medical staff. He said at least 30 per cent of persons who were given CPR ended up with broken bones.

The pathologist said the deceased's bones, by virtue of his age, would have been brittle.

He also testified that if someone was beaten, resulting in fracture to the ribs, some external evidence would be seen. There were, however, no external wounds to the body.

barbara.gayle@gleanerjm.com