South Africa - Susan Rohde, 47, murdered, Stellenbosch, 24 July 2016

[LouP1209]

I'm at work when the trials are on so I usually have the tab open and read when I can!

I'm not a legal person so I don't feel right to comment on any aspects of the court procedure - only what I feel - in this case I've gone back to murder!

 

[patCee]

The defence have suggested that Susan was killed in the bedroom and dragged into the bathroom for the staging of suicide. It's interesting to note in the above pathology report that she had injuries to legs and toes on both feet, and abrasions on part of her body that could indicate being dragged.

 

[JudgeJudi]

I'm at work when the trials are on so I usually have the tab open and read when I can!

I'm not a legal person so I don't feel right to comment on any aspects of the court procedure - only what I feel - in this case I've gone back to murder!

I'm strongly leaning that way now too . I'll post something before Monday.

 

[JudgeJudi]

 

[Tortoise]

Thank you so much JJ and thanks patCee for posting the post mortem summary.

 

[tmar]

I can't stand this man. Everything annoys me about him.

I also dislike Rohde: his pompous answers: everything he states is 'absolutely correct', that only he is telling the truth.
I love the 'lies' (omissions) he has just admitted to, just before the break, then immediately stating, that he had not omitted these, as has just been reminded in his 'In Laws' testimonies in further Cross Examination.
He can't remember when he lied, and to whom, and within a few minutes, changes his answers.
Love it.
GUILTY.

 

[Dora in the field]

So many injuries on Susan's body... How does one explain the blood streaks on her thigh and her right upper eyelid?
There are also signs of manual strangulation and that the body was dragged. The ligature imprint mark on her neck was post mortem.

Jason also seems to be stuck on a well-rehearsed scenario about what happened that night. But when someone is telling the truth they use different words to describe what happened. He is always using the same terminology, i.e, how he struck her with the "soft part" of his arm. His answers are similar to reciting a poem.

After reading the post mortem report, there is no doubt in my mind that Susan's death was staged to look like suicide.

 

[patCee]

Jason presents as belligerent in his demeanour and the way he responds to the advocates questions in a confrontational way. He seems disrespectful and being 'clever' to the point I'm surprised the Judge doesn't caution him.

 

[Hag]

So after reading the postmortem report, it seems apparent the injuries found most likely occurred during a very physical fight, resulting in her death.

 

[Interested Bystander]

Beginning to look bad for Rohde.

 

[ApplesInMyBra]

Thanks, everyone, for all the updates - special thanks to JJ! I too have been silently following this trial, read every post, and watched some of the available footage of his cross-examination.

One question I have is why the prosecutor keeps asking about Susan's robe belt - whether it was on or not when they left the room. Did they find the belt on the bed when they found the body? What is the argument/hypothesis there?

 

[patCee]

Thanks, everyone, for all the updates - special thanks to JJ! I too have been silently following this trial, read every post, and watched some of the available footage of his cross-examination.

One question I have is why the prosecutor keeps asking about Susan's robe belt - whether it was on or not when they left the room. Did they find the belt on the bed when they found the body? What is the argument/hypothesis there?

On page 25, JJ says pathologist Coatzee-Kahn saw the belt on the bed. Not sure about the context though.

 

[Dora in the field]

On page 25, JJ says pathologist Coatzee-Kahn saw the belt on the bed. Not sure about the context though.

The belt was found on the bed, whereas Susan's body was partially covered by her gown in the bathroom.

 

[tmar]

On page 25, JJ says pathologist Coatzee-Kahn saw the belt on the bed. Not sure about the context though.

I am so pleased this could be Susan's gown belt.
When I first saw this statement, I thought "why specify the belt on the bed: thinking it was Rohde's."
Being Susan's gown belt would fit in well.
Daniels states Susan was naked. Rohde denies this, stating Susan was wearing her bathroom gown.
That is why Rohde is being cross examined about the 'belt on the gown: ? knot'.
Hope Rohde forgets, ? gown belt is on bed.
He does not state, belt is not on gown.

Sorry, above is all from my memory, of the Trial, so far, so hope it is correct: if others, can recall this 'Belt Saga'.

 

[L2L]

Tried watching again but Prosecutor puts me to sleep. Doesn't seem too well prepared to me.

 

[tmar]

Tried watching again but Prosecutor puts me to sleep. Doesn't seem too well prepared to me.

Yes.
He continually goes back to his notes, when questioned: especially about the ??'double strand' around Susan's Throat, with Rohde stating, he didn't state this.
This 'double strand' caused Prosecutor to recheck, and then later, again, 'double strand'.

 

[JudgeJudi]

Dr Akmal Coetzee-Khan – State forensic pathologist

Has done around 2900 post-mortems for homicide, suicide, sudden death, accidental death, complex death.

Has done +-100 suicide hanging cases, 12 ligature strangulation homicide, 19 manual strangulation, 8 suffocation.

He prepared a report after attending the scene: Husband found her hanging by hook.

He was told over the phone that bathroom door was "forcefully opened", body taken down and CPR done.

Photo shows Susan lying naked on her back with a white gown over top half. Khan says no ligature present on body. There was a ligature imprint on front and side of her neck.

There were linear + curvilinear scratch marks to right lower jaw and left side of neck. Possible fingernail marks.

“I also noted a haematoma to the left eyelid and abrasion to corner of the same eyelid. Blunt force trauma. Usually if you have trauma in form of fist or punch, sometimes you'd get an abrasion from a ring on the finger”. [Rohde wears a wedding ring] Not usually what you would find in hanging or suicide case. Indicates kind of physical altercation/confrontation.

Abrasions on toes of both feet and surrounding blood staining of feet. Bruising, abrasions on knuckles and wrist. When I saw these bruises on hands, I considered these as defence injuries with an altercation.

Found it strange that no faeces on bathroom door.

Lividity not consistent with death in upright position.

Post-mortem lividity (stagnant blood) indicated death in a supine and lying position. Death in hanging is usually upright and would usually see lividity on lower limbs + hands, forearms, maybe neck. No hanging pattern like that here. I therefore couldn't say the person died in an upright or vertical position.

The pattern of lividity in this case shows the person died in a lying position on their back.

Lividity starts about 30min after death. Takes +- 3hrs to establish completely. Helps to estimate time of death.

For time of death, Khan looked at cooling of body, changes of rigor mortis and lividity.

This gave him estimated time of death of 7hr and 30 min. from when I arrived at 13:00.

Death thus took place around 05:40 on 24 July 2016. My estimate would apply for 95% of cases.

There will still be warmth close to time of death. Even a lay person will be able to pick up whether body is cold/not. Usually takes about two to four hours for the body temperature to change after death.

Khan agrees that his evidence relating to the time of death is incorrect. “I should've provided the whole range from 2 am until 8 am, and not provided the mean time”. He then stated “There is a 95% probability that she passed away at 5:40 with a 5% chance it falls outside of that time”.

[Oh, so the Defence want to put Susan’s time of death into the 5% possibility group as opposed to the 95% probability. Smoke and mirrors.]

There’s a discrepancy of 2 hours 20 minutes between Khan’s time of death and that of Perumal at 8:00. JR rang Spier Hotel Reception 22 minutes after Perumal's time of 8:00am.

Also saw gown belt left behind on bed.

Bedroom door was locked. I noted slot that allowed door to be opened from outside should someone get stuck.

www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/N...d-jason-rohdes-trial-set-to-continue-20171009

 

[JudgeJudi]

The post-mortem performed had previously revealed that foul play might have been involved - as signs of smothering and asphyxia had been noted.

Ligature imprint "most likely a post -mortem" mark. Usually with electric cord around neck in hanging, we get friction abrasion rub against skin. Did not see that. During hanging, you would expect cord to slide. Not seeing any of that here. In hanging, you'd expect mark to slope upwards to suspension point. This was horizontal, sloped slightly on right. In 80% of hanging cases, ligature mark is usually high up, above Adam's apple.

[You can read Khan’s chief findings on p.1, #15. Note that p.1 is missing but it’s only the affidavit attaching the findings]

"It is a staging of a hanging. You put ligature on and try to make it look like a hanging".

Judge asks Khan to define the word "staging".
Khan on 'staged hanging': "Because you don’t know how it is supposed to look, you get it wrong. She was already lying flat."

www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/N...d-jason-rohdes-trial-set-to-continue-20171009

 

[JudgeJudi]

Khan performed specialised, bloodless neck dissection to make sure haemorrhages were "true" and not post-mortem. Various haemorrhages on her neck were unrelated to the ligature and indicative of blunt force trauma. Force applied to neck higher than where ligature mark is. Force applied to neck higher than where ligature mark is.

There was quite significant downward force to vertebrae. Usually seen in cases of manual strangulation, pressure was applied here from left side going inwards. One has to be suspicious here of fractured horn of thyroid cartilage. Redness indicates it happened before death.

Fracture and haemorrhages indicate a hand being applied to neck with squeezing type of action.

All the unrelated haemorrhages point to not being caused by ligature. There was something placed over her nose and mouth. Indications that a hand or object was used. These features are indicative of manual strangulation.

The haemorrhages to side of chest wall are atypical of CPR. Could be from punching or kicking the chest/ribs. Maybe pinning down person with a knee to strangle.

Bruise on left wrist usually seen with defensive injuries & protecting oneself.

"The features of the ligature imprint abrasion mark are consistent with post-mortem application to the neck".

Marks indicate thumb on right hand side of her neck and fingers spread out on left hand side.

Khan says abrasion to body indicates dragging against rough surfaces. Hotel bedroom floor made of quite rough surface.

End of post mortem testimony.

www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/N...d-jason-rohdes-trial-set-to-continue-20171009

 

[tmar]

Khan performed specialised, bloodless neck dissection to make sure haemorrhages were "true" and not post-mortem. Various haemorrhages on her neck were unrelated to the ligature and indicative of blunt force trauma. Force applied to neck higher than where ligature mark is. Force applied to neck higher than where ligature mark is.

There was quite significant downward force to vertebrae. Usually seen in cases of manual strangulation, pressure was applied here from left side going inwards. One has to be suspicious here of fractured horn of thyroid cartilage. Redness indicates it happened before death.

Fracture and haemorrhages indicate a hand being applied to neck with squeezing type of action.

All the unrelated haemorrhages point to not being caused by ligature. There was something placed over her nose and mouth. Indications that a hand or object was used. These features are indicative of manual strangulation.

The haemorrhages to side of chest wall are atypical of CPR. Could be from punching or kicking the chest/ribs. Maybe pinning down person with a knee to strangle.

Bruise on left wrist usually seen with defensive injuries & protecting oneself.

"The features of the ligature imprint abrasion mark are consistent with post-mortem application to the neck".

Marks indicate thumb on right hand side of her neck and fingers spread out on left hand side.

Khan says abrasion to body indicates dragging against rough surfaces. Hotel bedroom floor made of quite rough surface.

End of post mortem testimony.

www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/N...d-jason-rohdes-trial-set-to-continue-20171009

Now what will we hear from Reggie Perumal: if he testifies!
You would think the Defence Pathologist, ethically, will report findings correctly.
These findings will be most interesting to compare to the State's Pathologist.