Signs still point to suicide, says second pathologist

The suicide theory is still the most likely reason behind Teoh Beng Hock’s fall from a high place, a second pathologist who carried out the autopsy on the DAP political aide, maintained in the coroner’s court today.

Under vigorous questioning from lawyer, Tan Hock Chuan, who is leading the Attorney General’s team to help the coroner, Indian pathologist Dr Prashant Naresh Samberkar, had earlier given a highly-detailed and scientific explanation of the massive multiple injuries found on the 30-year-old.

The 42-year-old lecturer in forensic pathology at the Universiti Malaysia Medical Centre (UMMC) had been enlisted by the police investigation team to carry out the autopsy on Teoh with government pathologist Dr Khairul Aznam Ibrahim.

Tan: Now, I want to ask you specifically on this case, based on the post-mortem carried out, the injuries sustained by the deceased Mr Teoh and your site visits on July 16 and 22, in your opinion, what is the most likely manner of death in this present case?

Prashant: The most likely manner of death in the present case, in my opinion, would be suicidal or self-inflicted fall.

Tan: Why do you say that?

Prashant: First point, the injuries noted on the body are consistent with fall from height. Second point, the injuries to the lower ribs, to the right lower ribs especially, especially fractures on the long bones do show that there is a guarding effect. The tone of the muscle was well-maintained at the time of the fall, which resulted in the fracture of the long bones

Point three, the multiple tears on the trousers around the groin area and the lower back are vertical splits. And these splits, or tears, occur due to extensive extension, stretching, of the loin area because of the impact.

Point No.4, it is a common practice in cases of fall from height that one has to look for a barrier which can prevent such a fall. If the barrier is below the level of gravity or centre of gravity of an average human adult, there is a very good possibility for an accident to occur. However, in the present case, the level of the barrier is about the centre of gravity.

[Stands up to demonstrate what he means by centre of gravity]

For a normal adult, the centre of gravity is a point in the middle of the pelvis, which bears the weight of the upper torso and at the same time, provides for movement of the lower torso. Meaning, the balance or weight or equilibrium of a person can shift even if I raise my hand or feet in a standing position.

So the centre of gravity acts as a barrier preventing the fall, which rules out an accidental fall in this case.

Prashant had several more points to make to scientifically explain his suicide theory.

There were no signs of strangulation around Teoh’s neck to suggest he was stopped from breathing, no “cyanosis” or as he explained “no blue-ish discolouration of the fingertips which are normally found in asphyxial deaths”, no restraining marks, no tongue wounds to suggest Teoh may have bit his tongue while struggling or any other defence wounds.

He also noted that the results of a toxicology test had come back negative, showing no traces of alcohol or common drugs.

“It rules out the victim could have been drugged and maybe then thrown off the window and also rules out the eventuality of having an accidental fall,” the pathologist who had made national news here after his independent autopsy report on the controversial death of suspected car-thief A. Kugan revealed he died from injuries resulting from beating while under police custody.

But the most crucial evidence to support his suicide theory, it seemed, was found on the soles of Teoh’s shoes.

He asked for Teoh’s shoes and turning over the soles to face upwards, he direct magistrate Azmil Muntapha Abas who is acting as coroner, to a line across the middle section of both shoes, put together.

“The scratch ends here at almost a horizontal line is consistent with a person sitting or squatting on a 3millimetre window frame. This would not have occurred on impact at level five,” Prashant told the inquest.

The coroner and lawyers immediately perked up at this piece of news. The previous pathologist, Dr Khairul had earlier demonstrated how Teoh had climbed out the window and stood on an ledge outside before leaping down to his death on the 5th-floor landing at Plaza Masalam here.

But Prashant told the coroner that he did not share Dr Khairul’s view.

“I would say he was squatting. The window frame is not tall enough for him to stand,” he explained, pointing that the limited length of the window would not have been able to fit Teoh who stood close to 5-foot nine-inches.

“So he is not standing outside. He is not sitting here and his legs outside. Somebody is not making sense,” lawyer Gobind Singh Deo quipped, turning around to face the public gallery before waggling his eyebrows.

Turning back to Prashant, Gobind asked if it was possible for Teoh to have been held briefly by several people while squatting at the window.

“It is possible, sir,” the boyish pathologist replied.

The lawyer then quizzed Prashant on his earlier observation of smudged marks and some “vertical stripes” on the dusty glass pane of the 14th-floor window and suggested that those marks could come from Teoh as he was falling.

Gobind: You say finger drag marks. Wouldn’t that be a form of resistance as well?

Prashant: Yes, sir.

Gobind: So, it would show the person sitting there was trying to resist?

Prashant: Possible, sir.

Further questioning from Gobind revealed that Dr Prashant had not taken part in the interview with Teoh’s family or fiancee to determine his state of mind and had only second-hand information that Teoh was due to register his marriage or be a father in under seven months.

The Indian expert admitted it was crucial to know the psychological history of the deceased to decide if he had suicidal tendencies.


comments

here's the question, did Teoh in conscious state of mind, and physically & mentally healthy before he fall down ? did any of the MACC "invitigation process" cause Teoh emotionally, mentally, and physically exhaused, and led to him lost of conscious state of mind ?

I like his evidence based approach but that should not be conclusive on suicide. How does he squat at the narrow window and jump without leaving any trace?