Expert: Bryan died from deep knife wound to neck

The fatal injury that claimed Julene Bryan’s life was caused by a cut to a major artery on the right side of her neck, a court heard Tuesday.

This was contained in the post-mortem report of forensic pathologist Dr Carl Winskog, which was read into evidence in the No. 5 Supreme Court by Director of the Forensic Sciences Centre Cheryl Corbin. Dr Winskog, who left the centre in 2008, is currently a professor in New Zealand.

According to his report, the deceased sustained a 4.5-centimetre vertical stab wound with sharp, defined edges. The wound revealed underlying fat at the top and muscle tissue deeper down. It penetrated to a depth of four centimetres. While her jugular vein remained intact, the report noted that the carotid artery was completely severed.

Additionally, Corbin read that Bryan had a deep horizontal cut on the second segment of her right index finger and skin was detached from her third finger.

“The appearance of the injury suggests that the deceased had been stabbed with a sharp object to the right side of the neck, like a knife with a single edge and that the deceased grabbed the knife with her right hand,” Dr Winskog’s report stated.

White is accused of murdering Julene Bryan on May 14, 2007.