News
Jensen La Vende
THE private autopsy on 35-year-old Andrew “Solo” Morris, one of the two now dead, was killed in the abduction and murder of Andrea Bharatt.
The second autopsy was performed Tuesday by pathologist Prof Hubert Daisley in the Simpsons Chapel, Couva, the day after the first, which was done at the Forensic Science Center. Daisley also did a second autopsy on Bharatt on Tuesday, ruling that she died from a broken skull, while the first report was unconvincing.
According to the family’s attorney, Nestor Alloy-Dinnoo, the pathologist said Morris suffered trauma to the skull and chest with a blunt object. He also had bilateral rib fractures that caused his lungs to collapse and bleeding from the brain.
“There were no signs of resistance to the body,” Dinnoo, who was present during the autopsy, told Newsday.
He added that the pathologist questioned the police version of events, given the severity of the injuries, and said Morris may not have been conscious when he was taken to the Arima Health Facility on January 31.
According to the post-mortem done at the Forensic Science Center on Monday, Morris’ death was listed as impact trauma to the upper body.
In a report from Arima Hospital where Morris died, his death is called ‘unnatural’. The report calls him an “assault victim.”
According to the reference report for the autopsy of the Arima Health Facility, Morris complained that he had been assaulted. Under ‘recent complaints’ it reads:’ Assault victim, head chest and back. Blunt trauma, acute kidney injury. Since assault became presine soups and chest pains. ”
On the headline “Preliminary assessment of death”, the author crossed “unnatural” with the clinical diagnosis: “Cardiopulmonary arrest. Acute kidney injury and rhabdomyolysis.
‘Several bruises seen on chest, back and face. Alert, oriented, however, complains of persistent chest discomfort. No respiratory distress. Loss of consciousness, inquiry directed at review. X-ray of the chest (displayed) no rib fracture, no hemothorax (blood between the chest wall and the lungs) or pneumothorax (air collected between the chest wall and the lungs). Kidney function test identified. Creatine 3.3- acute kidney injury, ”reads the summary.
This was supported by the second autopsy.
Police allege that Morris, after being arrested in his Tumpuna road, Arima, had to be subdued for behaving violently.
It was during this alleged fight that Morris allegedly fell, but refused to get medical attention when he was offered. He was diabetic and hypertensive, but apparently refused food and was later taken to the health facility around 10pm.
While Morris fell in the hospital a second time, police say this time from a chair. His third fall happened when he went to give a urine sample. He was pronounced dead at about 2.45pm on Monday.
His family was told of his death two days later.
Morris was the first to die in police custody. He and longtime friend Devon Charles were kept apart for hours. Charles died on February 8 after being in a coma at the Intensive Care Unit (ICU) for at least six days. Police said he also had to be subdued after trying to escape.
Both men were suspects in the abduction of Bharatt, who was taken after she boarded a ‘taxi’ in King Street on January 29. On February 4, her body was found in an abyss on the Heights of Aripo.