(Jurors leave the courtroom)
JB: Dr. Huntington, You did not conduct a post mortem interval in this case did you?
Dr. H: A post mortem interval, estimation?
JB: Yes, estimation.
Dr. H: That's correct.
JB: Okay. And neither did Dr. Haskell.
Dr. H: Dr. Haskell didn't necessarily conduct a specific PMI estimation, he did however say it was consistent with such and such date which depending on how you interpret the PMI estimation...
JB: Okay. Now on July 16th 2008, there were items of evidence collected could it have been possible to make a determination at that time about a post mortem interval as it relates to the maggots found in the trunk of the car?
Dr. H: The maggots found in the trunk of the car, if you assume they were associated with a body, then yes. You could have made a post mortem interval estimation.
JB: Was it done in this case?
Dr. H: No.
JB: Are there any other opinions that you plan on, I mean, I guess, are there any other topics that you, sorry Judge. *grin* Um, is that all you plan to testify to on that topic? Or is there more?
Dr. H: *looks confused*
JB: On the post mortem interval.
Dr. H: With regard to post mortem interval, no that should be sufficient.
JB: No further questions Judge.
JA: Would you say that a post mortem interval could be done under those circumstances?
Dr. H: Again, with the maggots from the trash bag from the trunk, if you assume they are associated with a body, rather that they came from a human body, then you could have estimated how long ago those eggs were laid. Which would coincide with the time of death or approximate time of death.
JA: Why weren't you able to do that based on looking at the evidence that was collected?
Dr. H: Looking at the evidence that was collected, for me, i could not make that assumption. For me, there is no reason to assume that those maggots came from a human body.
JA: But if you did make that assumption, then you could make a PMI?
Dr. H: If you make that assumption, yes.
JA: Okay well, make that assumption.
Dr. H: Okay. *wide grin*
JA: I'm sorry, okay, I don't have any other questions.
HJBP: Any additional argument Mr. Ashton as to whether or not that (I could not hear the end of the sentence)
JA: No Your Honor, I now know that it's about the car. I really have no objection because the car is discussed. I thought that counsel was going to talk about the scene because that's what I thought I heard him say. So now that I know it's the car, yes that is covered in the report and we've discussed the car so we don't have a problem with that. I apologize it was my misunderstanding but I thought I heard counsel say it was the scene.
HJBP: There was another area that ya'll had some slight disagreement on at the bench dealt with some questions about the scene so let's take care of those now rather then ah....
JA: I think we have, I spoke to counsel and we've agreed that he's not going to go into the issue as to whether they were permitted access to the scene it's not an issue sir.
JB: Correct, we're not going to discuss that.
HJBP: Any other matters we need to take up, I think it may be a good time to take a short break for the participants. Any other things we need to take up?
JB: Nothing from the defense Your Honor.
JA: No, sir.
HJBP: One of the things, Mr. Baez did you file Dr. Huntington's report?
JB: I believe I did. Yes, sir when we had the would have been way back when we had the order requesting all the reports, I'm quite certain if not I can provide the court with another copy.
HJBP: If you filed it... (did not hear the end again)
JB: May we be excused til *glances back at clock* what time sir? *grin*
HJBP: 5 or 10 minutes, you tell me?
JA: 5 is fine for me.
JB: 10 minutes would be a little better.
HJBP: 10 minutes would be better? Alright. 5 past the hour.
(court is in recess for 10 minutes)
