The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

THE INQUEST into the death of Aaron Rolle was postponed yesterday after a witness failed to appear in court.

Police Constable 1193 Thompson was scheduled to give testimony at 2pm in Coroner’s Court, but did not show up.

He is the last witness expected to testify before closing arguments.

Rolle, 20, died at the Southern Police Station on February 8, hours after he was taken into custody for questioning in connection with an armed robbery and escape allegations.

Acting Coroner Jeanine Weech-Gomez is overseeing the inquiry. Attorney Christina Galanos is representing Rolle’s immediate family and Wellington Olander is representing the officers.

The inquest is expected to continue at 10am on Wednesday, giving PC Thompson an additional day to be served.

Galanos and Olander indicated to the court that they will be ready for closing arguments whether or not PC Thompson appears.

A second summons is expected to be sent to the Southern Police Station today.

Earlier in the inquest, pathologist Dr Caryn Sands testified that Aaron Rolle had multiple injuries at the time of his death, including two broken ribs, a ruptured intestine, haemorrhaging around the pancreas and left kidney, bleeding in the bowel and contusions on his lower back, shoulder blade and left clavicle – all caused by blunt force trauma.

She also said Rolle had bruises on the front of his thighs and an abrasion on his chest.

However, Dr Sands said the abrasion on his torso most likely came from secondary CPR attempts and classified the bruise as “superficial”.

Dr Sands testified that Rolle died after two litres of fluid drained into his abdominal cavity from a hole in his intestine. She said the puncture was not recent and occurred prior to him dying.

She also said Rolle had a yellow/green pus coating his liver, abdomen and bowel, suggesting that he had the injuries for more than a few hours.

When asked how long a person with Rolle’s injuries could survive without the proper medical treatment, Dr Sands estimated “about 24 hours”.

She also testified that Rolle’s left 9th and 10th ribs were fractured and despite the abrasion on his chest, the ribs were not broken during CPR.

Rolle also had contusions on his lower back, right shoulder blade, left clavicle and haemorrhaging on the front of both of this thighs – injuries consistent with multiple blows from a blunt object, however she could not say how many times.

Dr Sands said Rolle’s injuries would have been very painful and would have gotten progressively worse as they went untreated. Rolle had no defensive wounds on his body.