The Tribune

By SANCHESKA BROWN

Tribune Staff Reporter

sbrown@tribunemedia.net

THE inquest into the death of Aaron Rolle was delayed yesterday after the acting coroner told the court she was not ready to instruct the jury.
 Acting Coroner Jeanine Weech-Gomez was expected to sum up the evidence and then instruct the jury before they deliberate.

However, she said “regrettably” she was not in a position to proceed and apologised to the court for the inconvenience. The inquest is now scheduled to continue on May 7 at 10am.

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.

A pathologist report later concluded that he died from haemorrhaging and a ruptured intestine, caused by blunt force trauma to the chest.

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

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.

The interested parties, Police Constable 2126 Akiel Smith and Police Constable 2648 Carl Smith, testified that “force” was used on Rolle to restrain him after he attempted to escape police custody for the second time.