Autopsy on murdered cop called off

THE AUTOPSY on the body of Police Constable Derrick Nelson was aborted at the Forensic Sciences Centre yesterday after the pathologist demanded to see X-rays taken while the policeman was warded at the San Fernando General Hospital. The autopsy is expected to be carried out today. Police sources said the pathologist needed to identify the exact locations where the bullets were lodged in Nelson’s body, before the autopsy could be performed to determine cause of death. The X-rays was supposed to have been obtained from the San Fernando General Hospital yesterday evening to facilitate the autopsy this morning. Meanwhile, the two suspects, aged 22 and 23, of Freeport, held last Thursday in connection with Nelson’s murder, are still in police custody.

Investigators said the suspects were removed from the Couva Police Station and taken to the San Fernando CID where they were placed on several ID parades in connection with the murder and other recent crimes. Following today’s autopsy, investigators would take the case file and autopsy report to Director of Public Prosecutions (DPP) Geoffrey Henderson to discuss the case. Nelson was a Special Branch officer been assigned to be the personal bodyguard of High Court Judge, Justice Herbert Volney. He died at the San Fernando General Hospital Saturday night, a week after he was shot at least five times about his body and robbed him of his service firearm, in Couva. In a bid to escape his attackers, Nelson jumped 20 feet off a bridge and landed in the Couva River. Sgt Peter Burke, of the Couva CID, is spearheading investigations.