Family orders 2nd post-mortem

A second post-mortem will be carried out today on the body of 28-year-old Noel Stanley, who died in police custody on Sunday. Stanley’s relatives remained adamant that he was murdered, and requested a second autopsy. The man’s body was released to his family on Tuesday, but was seized by police who are carrying out their own investigations into the matter. Supt Waldron, assisted by Insp Mackie Alleyne, is leading the investigation. Officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad and the Belmont Police Station, who had questioned Stanley after his arrest on Sunday, were asked to submit reports to the investigators.

Attorneys Osbourne Charles and Donna Prowell were retained by Stanley’s relatives to look after their interests. The first autopsy carried out at the Forensic Science Centre on Monday by Dr Eastlyn McDonald Borris revealed that the cause of death was inconclusive. The pathologist ordered that the body be kept at the Forensic Science Centre pending toxicology reports. Those reports are yet to be made available to the police or the attorneys for Stanley’s relatives. Stanley was arrested on Sunday after he allegedly threw a bag containing marijuana over the prison wall at Frederick Street in Port-of-Spain. He was held by officers of the Belmont Police Station and later questioned by officers of the Anti-Kidnapping Squad. While being questioned, he complained of feeling unwell and was taken to the Port-of-Spain General Hospital where he died.