AS IT HAPPENED: Overlooked injuries in second autopsy - Jason Rohde murder trial | News24

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16 Oct 2017

Forensic Pathologist Dr. Akmal Coetzee-Khan. (James de Villiers, News24)

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16 Oct 2017

Judge postpones matter to Wednesday 1:30 for cross-examination of Khan.

16 Oct 2017

Advocate Peter Mihalik says he needs time to discuss with his experts until Wednesday.

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. Khan: The cause of death, the injuries to her neck, is not explained through the confrontation version of events. @TeamNews24
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. Khan: If I have more specific details I can plan the wounds to determine whether it fits in with the version of events provided.
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

Khan: The injuries to knuckles, legs can also be from altercation. This does, however, not explain injuries to her neck.

16 Oct 2017

Khan: the injuries on Susan's eye we usually find in a direct confrontation.

16 Oct 2017

Khan: Rohde says his arm connected with her, but he doesn't say where so it is difficult to say if the injuries correspond.

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. Khan: It is not very specific, so what I can get from here is that the deceased was pulling and grabbing at Rohde. @TeamNews24
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

Judge asks Khan if injuries correspond with that of a confrontation.

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. Judge Salie-Hlophe mentions Rohde's testimony that there was a confrontation between him and Susan. @TeamNews24
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

Khan: It would depend if the condition was verified by a doctor. The tissue at thigh can damage much easier than other tissue.

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. Van Niekerk: Susan's mother mentioned that they have thin skin and hence bruises are quickly evident. Would Khan like to comment?
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

Rohde. Khan: That injury was caused 7 days before the day of death. So it is possibility that she injured it during dumbbell exercise.
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. prosecutor Van Niekerk: Huge bruise on the right thigh. That particular injury was caused before the death possibly through exercise
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

Rohde. Khan: this means the body hasn't cooled. Clothing would keep areas warm, exposed areas would cool quicker. @TeamNews24
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. Judge: The court previously heard the back of Susan's neck was warm. @TeamNews24
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. Khan: the body temperature would still be the same when someone just passed away. The time temperature change is usually 2-4 hours.
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. Khan: I am therefore really concerned of the findings of Perumal's report as to the impartiality of the findings. @TeamNews24
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. Khan: the injuries on Susan's left hand is not noted which is unusual in a suicide case. @TeamNews24
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. Khan: to finish my summary. There are other aspects also left out such as blood present in intestines, stomach. @TeamNews24
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. Khan:The injuries on Susan's neck has been overlooked which might change the cause of death concluded by the post-mortem @TeamNews24
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. Khan is hence questioning the findings of a post-mortem completed by Dr Reggie Perumal on August 1. @TeamNews24
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. Khan: to reconstruct a neck dissection for a second autopsy is impossible. Photographs hence necessary. @TeamNews24
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. Khan: pathologist can possibly not come to definitive conclusion without photographs of first dissection. @TeamNews24
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. Khan: usually with a 2nd autopsy it would be advisable for pathologist to review photographs of first dissection. None available.
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. Khan: This is important to indicate that Susan was strangled by hand. @TeamNews24
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

Rohde. Khan: Also the specific location of injuries on neck are not present in first autopsies. @TeamNews24
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. Khan:There is some differences what was found in second autopsy to first autopsy. Crucial dif. was tearing found in neck @TeamNews24
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. Khan: no photos taken of first autopsy to verify what was present during autopsy. @TeamNews24
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. Khan: Susan's blood alcohol levels below legal driving level.
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. Khan: no damage to spinal court. Muscles however damaged.
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde. Trail starting. Khan: the pelvic walls of Susan had soft tissue damage.
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde Forensic Pathologist Dr. Akmal Coetzee-Khan is expected to testify. Khan has done conducted over 100 suicide hanging cases. pic.twitter.com/5K9WcvxTRV
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde arrives at a rainy Western Cape Hog Court with legal council. pic.twitter.com/licShSQkB4
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

#Rohde previously said his wife Susan committed suicide in their hotel room at the Spier Wine Estate on July 24, 2016. @TeamNews24
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

At the Western Cape High Court for the trail of businessman Jason Rohde who is accused of killing his own wife.@TeamNews24 pic.twitter.com/0uFLumzzuz
— James de Villiers (@pejames) October 16, 2017

16 Oct 2017

Conflicting autopsy reports show different causes for Susan Rohde's death

The battle between two pathologists in Jason Rohde's murder trial heated up in the Western Cape High Court on Thursday after their autopsy reports for his wife showed stark differences.

The State's forensic pathologist, Dr Asmal Khan, concluded that Susan died as a result of a lack of oxygen after manual strangulation and smothering.

He testified about her injuries as the State's second witness on Thursday.

Graphic photos from the post-mortem exam were used to show these injuries to Judge Gayaat Salie-Hlophe.

Part of his testimony included that Rohde "staged her suicide" but allegedly got it wrong because he did not know what he was doing.

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