'Teoh was fully conscious when he fell'

British forensic pathologist Prof Peter Vanezis has testifed that DAP political aide Teoh Beng Hock was "fully conscious" when he fell to his death.

He tendered his post-mortem report, dated Dec 16 last year, also saying that Teoh's injuries were consistent with a fall from height.

Vanezis ( centre in photo ) said there is no doubt in his mind that Teoh was conscious when falling.

“The injuries show he tried to break his fall by landing on his feet first with the hands out...It is a primeval form of protecting oneself from the fall. The (defensive) injuries to the body are consistent with falling from a high place,” he said.

Asked if Teoh's death was consistent with suicide, Venezis said studies have shown that suicide cases tend to have same injuries as those consistent with a fall from a high place.

However, he could not say it was suicide  in Teoh's case as this is beyond his expertise.

"What I can say is that he was conscious, fully orientated...," he told Abdul Razak Musa, the head of prosecution of the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission (MACC).

He also testified that there is no evidence of self-harm such as cuts or injuries or injection marks on the body. 

"There is no evidence that (Teoh's) neck had been compressed as in strangulation prior to death.. The bruising of the neck region is part of the overall pattern of injury from the fall.

"The larynx and hyoid bone were intact. There were no ligature marks, nail scratches or fingertip bruises seen to the surface of the neck."

Thai pathologist Dr Pornthip Rojanasunand (right) , hired by the Selangor government, had earlier suggested the possibility that Teoh had been strangled before falling, in her analysis suggesting an “80 percent chance” that the cause of death was homicide .

This was based on a bruise on the neck, which could be seen even during the second post- mortem, that appeared to indicate that a choke-hold or strangulation had been applied.

 

Venezis disagreed with Pornthip's finding that Teoh's body showed signs of manual strangulation before his death.

On the injury to the anus, Vanezis said there had been concern that the damage could have been caused by an object being forcefully inserted to the region prior to Teoh's death.

"The photographs I have seen and the post-mortem examinations carried out entirely refute this view and indeed support the fact they were caused in the fall," he said.

This disputes Pornthip’s suggestion that something had been inserted in Teoh's anus resulting in the injury.

Replying Abdul Razak's deputy Kevin Morais, he further said the FBI had outlawed the use of the choke-hold.

Summary of findings 

Morais also asked about the markings on Teoh's shoes.

Pornthip had said these show that Teoh could have been dragged across the floor and thrown out of the 14th floor window, and that the shoe was then thrown down.

Vanezis disagreed with the notion, although he conceded he is not a specialist in shoe markings.

He said he had seen the 14th floor and that the floor is covered with a carpet.

“If the victim had been dragged on a carpet, it would not show such marks. The marks were consistent with the deceased stepping on or dragging on a hard surface like concrete or wood,” he said.

“The positioning of the shoe is consistent with the fall. It could not have been as a result of it being thrown out of the window.”

In summarising his findings , Vanezis wrote in his report: 

1. The pattern, distribution and extent of severity of the injuries seen are typical of a fall from a height. I base this opinion on my own personal experience of all types of trauma cases that I have conducted autopsies on over 35 years of forensic pathology practice and from the experience of my colleagues that I have worked with, as well as a review of the relevant literature in this area.

2. The distribution of the fractures to the upper and lower limbs, pelvis and elsewhere strongly indicate that the victim had landed in such a manner so that the initial impact was for the lower part of his body, most probably feet, then onto buttocks, and at the same time as landing he had attempted to break his fall as can be seen from the pattern of the lower limb fractures.

3. He had also landed partly on his hands, in an attempt to break his fall, taking into account the fractures seen as well as the forceful impact of his wrist watch causing patterned injuries to his left wrist and then breaking uo into parts, which were found on the landing near the body.

Gobind Singh Deo, who is representing Teoh's family, has begun cross-examining Vanezis. 

Teoh’s body was found on the fifth floor verandah of Plaza Masalam in Shah Alam on July 16 last year, after being questioned overnight by the Selangor office of the MACC.

The MACC had engaged Vanezis to observe the second post-mortem on Teoh’s remains and to provide his opinion on the case.

He said he visited the scene of the incident on Nov 23, a day after the second post-mortem was performed.

When he took the stand this morning, he stated that he holds a doctorate on neck injuries, and that he had testified in the inquest on the death of Princess Diana.

The coroner had been expected to decide later today on an application by Teoh's family to cite Mohd Nazri Abdul Aziz (right) , the minister in the Prime Minister's Department, for contempt of court.

However, this has since been deferred to tomorrow, in order to allow cross-examination of Vanezis this afternoon.

Vanezis' conclusions on Teoh's death

VIDEO | 8 mins