Woolmer's Post-Mortem Inconclusive
http://www.caribbeanpressreleases.com/articles/1481/1/Woolmers-Post-Mortem-Inconclusive/Page1.html
S Coward
By S Coward
Published on 21-Mar-07
Kingston, Jamaica -- March 21, 2007 -- Deputy Police Commissioner Mark
Shields said Tuesday there was nothing unusual about the pathologist
requesting further tests on the body of former Pakistan coach Bob
Woolmer.
Body won't be released until all tests were returned
Kingston, Jamaica -- March 21, 2007 -- Deputy Police Commissioner Mark
Shields said Tuesday there was nothing unusual about the pathologist
requesting further tests on the body of former Pakistan coach Bob
Woolmer.
Police and medical officials were still unable to pinpoint Woolmer's cause of death, after a post-mortem Tuesday proved "inconclusive".
"There is nothing unusual about the pathologist taking his time about the result, since this would be the correct operating procedure in such a high-profile case," Shields told reporters at a news conference.
"In a case like this, the pathologist wants to be absolutely sure, and there is nothing unusual," he said.
"He wants to make sure whatever his findings, that they are accurate and to conduct further tests, I think that is legitimate and sensible in the circumstances."
Shields added that police had no suspicions, since cases of sudden-death were always treated as such until lawmen could prove otherwise.
"The easiest thing to do is to treat it this way from the beginning," he said.
"We have had full cooperation from the ICC, the Pakistan team, and everyone else that has been involved.
"We will conduct an investigation until such time as we find we no longer have to conduct an investigation.
Shields said arrangements had been put in place to allow Woolmer's body to leave Jamaica on Saturday with the Pakistan team, but it would not be released until all the test results were returned.
"The arrangements are there and we hope to stick to those arrangements," he said.
"It is our position to investigate, and for the pathologist to provide a report that will go to the coroner, and from that we will know what action we will take next.
"It is difficult to say when we will get the test results but we would like to stick to the arrangements, and so the labs and the pathologists are working to get results to coroner. Once this has occurred, we will move from there."
Shields said the tests requested by the pathologist would be carried out as a matter of urgency.
"I know that the scientists are treating it with the utmost urgency in order that we can hopefully repatriate the body to his family as soon as possible," he said.
"I just know they are working as quickly as possible to provide the information that we need."
Karl Angell, director of communications for the Jamaica police, also dismissed reports which suggested members of the Pakistan team had been "interrogated and secluded".
"Nothing of the sort has happened, and it is a rumour circulating, and I want to clear it up before we proceed," he said.
Pervez Mir, media manager of the Pakistan team, made the official announcement that the pathologist's findings were inconclusive.
"He is awaiting the results of toxicology and histology (study of tissue samples) from the Government National Laboratory and Forensic Lab," Mir said.
"The body of Bob Woolmer has been sent to a local funeral parlour, and arrangements are being made for shipment of the body to Cape Town via London."
The 58-year-old Woolmer was found unconscious in his hotel room on Sunday, and pronounced dead a few hours later in the University Hospital of the West Indies.
His death came a day after Pakistan lost their second straight match in the World Cup to Ireland by three wickets to make an early exit from the competition.
Woolmer's room at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel has remained sealed, with the police not having handed it back to the hotel management to date.
Source: windiescricket.com
Police and medical officials were still unable to pinpoint Woolmer's cause of death, after a post-mortem Tuesday proved "inconclusive".
"There is nothing unusual about the pathologist taking his time about the result, since this would be the correct operating procedure in such a high-profile case," Shields told reporters at a news conference.
"In a case like this, the pathologist wants to be absolutely sure, and there is nothing unusual," he said.
"He wants to make sure whatever his findings, that they are accurate and to conduct further tests, I think that is legitimate and sensible in the circumstances."
Shields added that police had no suspicions, since cases of sudden-death were always treated as such until lawmen could prove otherwise.
"The easiest thing to do is to treat it this way from the beginning," he said.
"We have had full cooperation from the ICC, the Pakistan team, and everyone else that has been involved.
"We will conduct an investigation until such time as we find we no longer have to conduct an investigation.
Shields said arrangements had been put in place to allow Woolmer's body to leave Jamaica on Saturday with the Pakistan team, but it would not be released until all the test results were returned.
"The arrangements are there and we hope to stick to those arrangements," he said.
"It is our position to investigate, and for the pathologist to provide a report that will go to the coroner, and from that we will know what action we will take next.
"It is difficult to say when we will get the test results but we would like to stick to the arrangements, and so the labs and the pathologists are working to get results to coroner. Once this has occurred, we will move from there."
Shields said the tests requested by the pathologist would be carried out as a matter of urgency.
"I know that the scientists are treating it with the utmost urgency in order that we can hopefully repatriate the body to his family as soon as possible," he said.
"I just know they are working as quickly as possible to provide the information that we need."
Karl Angell, director of communications for the Jamaica police, also dismissed reports which suggested members of the Pakistan team had been "interrogated and secluded".
"Nothing of the sort has happened, and it is a rumour circulating, and I want to clear it up before we proceed," he said.
Pervez Mir, media manager of the Pakistan team, made the official announcement that the pathologist's findings were inconclusive.
"He is awaiting the results of toxicology and histology (study of tissue samples) from the Government National Laboratory and Forensic Lab," Mir said.
"The body of Bob Woolmer has been sent to a local funeral parlour, and arrangements are being made for shipment of the body to Cape Town via London."
The 58-year-old Woolmer was found unconscious in his hotel room on Sunday, and pronounced dead a few hours later in the University Hospital of the West Indies.
His death came a day after Pakistan lost their second straight match in the World Cup to Ireland by three wickets to make an early exit from the competition.
Woolmer's room at the Jamaica Pegasus Hotel has remained sealed, with the police not having handed it back to the hotel management to date.
Source: windiescricket.com