/ 30 October 2007

Jamaican pathologist defends Woolmer autopsy

The Jamaican government pathologist who performed an autopsy on Bob Woolmer defended his ruling that the Pakistan cricket coach was the victim of foul play in a testy exchange on Monday with an attorney representing the sport’s governing body.

Under questioning by an International Cricket Council (ICC) lawyer, Dr Ere Sheshiah on Monday reiterated his conclusion that the 58-year-old coach died of asphyxia and pesticide poisoning and said he did not consider other rulings valid.

”I am not deviating from my findings,” the visibly flustered pathologist told ICC attorney Jermaine Spence. ”I have already told the court of my opinion.”

Sheshiah, who has testified the coach was poisoned by cypermethrin, said he could not definitely conclude how much of the chemical was in Woolmer’s body, but claimed it was enough to be fatal.

During the inquest last week, a Jamaican laboratory worker who analysed toxicology tests on Woolmer said that one sample revealed low levels of the pesticide in his system, but another showed no sign of the potentially lethal chemical.

Woolmer was found unconscious in his Kingston hotel room March 18, a day after his powerhouse team suffered a humiliating loss and was eliminated from the Cricket World Cup. He died at a hospital shortly afterward.

Days later, Sheshiah ruled he had been strangled, prompting a globe-spanning homicide investigation and a frenzy of media speculation.

Jamaican police called off their probe in June after foreign pathologists concluded the coach had died from natural causes, most likely heart disease.

Three foreign doctors have testified that the 65-year-old Sheshiah had misinterpreted his own findings and said his medical techniques did not meet international standards.

The inquest into Woolmer’s death is expected to end November 9, after roughly 50 witnesses appear before the 11-member jury. Jamaican police spokesperson Karl Angell was expected to testify on Tuesday. – Sapa-AP