Witness affected by bomb blast

She said the witness would complete his evidence-in-chief and face cross-examination at a later time. Justice Malcolm Holdip, who is sitting in the Port-of-Spain Third Criminal Court, said he understood what Briggs was going through as he too, had a relative injured in the drama on Monday.

In court, Briggs said he was not too well, he had a headache and a temperature and could not proceed. Justice Holdip said the court received the information and agreed for him to be excused until today for cross-examination.

But before Briggs left the court, he had to answer some more questions from the prosecution. He was asked what happened to him when he was sent to the prison.

"When I was sent to the prison, I was asked by the prison officers if I had any injuries whatsoever, if the police beat me, if any prisoner injured me at the holding bay, the court house or the police station.

"There were times when I was stripped, totally naked. I had to stoop down, raise up my testicles for them to check. I had to turn around for a search to be done there. They searched my ear, opened my mouth, cough, check under my arms, lift up my tongue. That is what I had to do."

Briggs said that on June 25, 2001, he had a ‘camera’ in prison to see the accused and prisoner Anton Cooper.

Briggs produced the device in court, although he admitted it was not the same as the one in prison. It was a tooth brush with a sharpened end which is used as a weapon. There was a mirror stuck to the tooth brush by chewing gum.

Briggs was then called upon to demonstrate to the court, using that ‘camera’ what he had seen that day. He stood up and used the device and pointed out several things behind his back. He told the court that the sharpened tooth brush is used by prisoners to defend themselves in prison from attacks by prisoners.

Briggs said if he was given the opportunity to demonstrate the ‘camera’ in prison, he would love to do so. He said it would be easier because the prison corridor was narrow and not a wide opened space as the court room.

The next witness was forensic pathologist Dr Hughvon Des Vignes. He said there was no evidence to suggest that prisoner Anton Cooper died from dengue fever. He confirmed that the prisoner died as a result of asphyxia associated with blunt traumatic injuries.

He said the traumatic injuries could have been caused by a blunt object such as a baseball bat, a fist or a boot. He said it was possible that a prison officer’s baton could have been the cause of the injuries sustained by Cooper.

Dr Des Vignes said on June 28, 2001, he performed a post-mortem on Cooper’s body. He said the body was identified by Cooper’s sister Rhonda Kernahan and uncle Claudie Cooper. When he saw the body, it was smeared with faeces. He confirmed there were injuries on the body and within the body cavities - a 3 cm laceration below the right eye; a 4.5 cm laceration to the back of the right side of the head; a bruising of the inside of the upper and lower lip; lacerations of the left side of the upper lip and inside of the lower lip on the right side; 1 cm bruise over the top of the right shoulder.

The brain, according to the witness, was swollen, congested and increased in weight. "Within the chest cavity, the lungs were overweight, congested and fluid accumulation in the air spaces of the lungs. There were multiples areas of bleeding on the outer area of the lung. The organs of the abdomen were congested. The upper and lower limbs were intact."

Dr Des Vignes said he obtained samples of blood, swabs of the mouth, the anus and finger nail clippings from both hands. He concluded that Cooper died as a result of asphyxia, or the lack of oxygen in his system consequent to blunt traumatic injuries.

Questioned by Waterman-Latchoo, Dr Des Vignes said there were no external evidence of chest injuries. Such injuries, he pointed out, would have made the chest area red. "You can’t see this against a black background," Dr Des Vignes added. He had already described Cooper as dark in complexion.

Dr Des Vignes said the injuries to the chest could not have been self-inflicted. He even demonstrated this to the jury and alternates.

Cross-examined by defence attorney Gilbert Petersen SC, Dr Des Vignes said he checked Cooper’s blood to see if he had alcohol or drugs in his blood. He said he did not test to see if the prisoner had any natural diseases.