Victim died from 16 stab wounds, pathologist tells court
The trial of two Dublin men accused of murdering a man heard the victim was found with congealed blood across his face and died from a total of 16 stab wounds to the neck, chest and leg, State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy told a jury at the Central Criminal Court today.
Alan Keogh, aged 32, of Wellmount Green, Finglas and Gary McNevin, aged 31, of no fixed abode but with an address at Glenhill Road, Finglas, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Peter Mitchell, aged 32, of Monasterboice Road, Crumlin, at Monasterboice Road between and inclusive of October 17 and October 20, 2003.
State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy attended the crime scene at the dead man's home on October 21.
Describing the scene from the back door entrance of the home, Dr Cassidy said: "There were blood splashes and footprints in blood, and blood-staining in the kitchen sink and countertops and on the floor, walls and ceiling of the living room."
Mr Mitchell's face was coated in congealed blood, his clothing and the couch he was sitting on was covered in heavy blood-staining. The dead man's feet were tied with a shoelace, the court heard.
Fragments of broken glassware, most of which was from a broken ceiling light, was on the floor, she said.
The dead man's face was "coated in congealed blood", the court heard.
There had been blood running across his face due to bleeding from injuries to the head area. "His head had obviously been upright," Dr Cassidy said.
Mr Mitchell's internal temperature was only 14 degrees centigrade, which indicated that he had been dead for roughly 27 hours, although "this is just a guide" for the time of death, according to Dr Cassidy.
A post-mortem examination revealed evidence of blunt force trauma to the head, upper arms and injuries to the feet, the court heard. The "10 separate blows to the head" were significant enough to split the skin and might have caused some concussion. "This would have affected his ability to defend himself," Dr Cassidy said.
"Death was due to blood loss from stab wounds to the neck and chest," she added.
One of the two stab wounds to the neck had gone from one side under the jaw through to the other side of his neck. This had "cut across the left jugular vein and artery and the Adam's apple", Dr Cassidy said.
"So the knife had sliced into the artery and cut it apart," she added.
Out of the 10 ten stab wounds to the trunk, six had penetrated the chest cavities, injuring the ribcage, heart, lungs and aorta, the jury heard.
There was one stab wound just below the dead man's knee area.
Dr Cassidy said the blunt force trauma to the head was a contributing factor to Mr Mitchell's death.
The deceased "would have been capable of some activity" before his death, the court heard.
Dr Cassidy was shown a large kitchen knife, measuring 20cm in length. "This knife could have inflicted all of the injuries, including the fatal stab wounds to the chest," she said.
The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael Peart.
