Head wound was serious, says doc

An expert in emergency medicine says complainant Ian McClean had a life-threatening wound to his head when he was brought in to the Queen Elizabeth Hospital’s Accident and Emergency on March 17, 2011.

Dr Chaynie Williams gave the evidence in the No. 4 Supreme Court this morning as a case against Elvis Felix Sam alias Shaggy, of Edgecumbe Tenantry, St Philip continued before Madam Justice Laurie-Ann Smith-Bovell and a nine-member jury.

Sam is accused of wounding McClean, who is his neighbour, on the mentioned date with intent to maim, disfigure or disable him or cause serious bodily harm to him. He is further accused of unlawfully and maliciously inflicting serious bodily harm on McClean.

Today Dr Williams read from the report of Dr Tanya Bell who examined McClean at the A&E. Dr Williams, through questions by Senior Crown Counsel Oliver Thomas and Crown Counsel Danielle Mottley, told the jury Bell was not registered to practice medicine in Barbados at this time as she was now stationed in the United States.

At the time of the report she acted as Bell’s supervisor.

Reading Dr Bell’s report, Dr Williams revealed that McClean arrived at the A&E around 10:30 a.m. with head trauma and a depressed skull fracture, which the doctor was informed, was caused when he was allegedly struck with two rocks on the head by a known assailant.

She said the report stated that injury was as a result of “severe force” and a scan was taken of McClean’s head. That exam found a depressed skull fracture andPneumocephalus. “That is free air within the skull cavity. This is a life threatening condition.”

Under cross-examination by Sam’s attorney-at-law Kendrid Sergeant, the doctor said only one injury was mentioned in the report and there was nothing about injuries to the neck. “It was recorded that he was struck with two stones.”

However, she said McClean could have received the injury by falling backwards and hitting his head but that fall would have had to occur from an elevated height.

She said when McClean arrived at hospital he was, “Combative, confused, aggressive and restless. He spent at least two days at hospital. He discharged himself against medical advice.”

The Crown closed its case after that evidence and Sam put forward his defence.

“On that day I did not hit Ian McClean,” Sam said in an unsworn statement from the dock.

The two sides will make closing submissions to the jury tomorrow.