Networked Knowledge - The case of Henry Vincent Keogh
Affidavit of Professor Anthony Ansford (summary) - for the Medical Board of South Australia

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I am a Professor of Pathology and have been a practicing forensic pathologist since 1974. I have been the Head pathologist in Queensland since 1983. I have completed some 4,000 autopsies since 1974 and have supervised some 8,000 autopsies. I have investigated some 700 contentious deaths.

I told the court at Keogh’s second trial that I had read the evidence of Dr Manock and Dr James from the first trial and their evidence at the second trial. I had seen photographs of the bruises that were said to have been on the legs of the deceased; photographs of the scene at which the death was said to have occurred; a body chart which indicated bruises -- to the top of the head, two at the neck, four on the left leg, seven on the right shin bone.

Of the bruises on the lateral side of the left leg (the so-called finger marks) only two of the bruises had been obvious. One of them was larger, more diffuse and fainter than the other one. My opinion was that if the bruises were caused by fingers I would have expected them to have been about the same size which they were not. In my experience of hand bruises, where it has been definitely proven to be a hand, they tended to be the same size. They were all discrete, about a centimetre in size.

The bruises could have been caused by bumps or knocks. With regard to the timing of white cell migration for the timing of bruising this method was quite imprecise.

Mr David QC had read to me extracts from Dr Manock’s evidence about Anna not being unconscious prior to drowning; that Dr Manock said that there had been no evidence of such within the skull; that in his opinion the bruising on the head would not have caused unconsciousness.

However, you can get unconsciousness without there being any trauma to the head. In general terms a pathologist cannot detect whether a person has been unconscious prior to death. Specialised neurological examination may have revealed something. I understood that no microscope slides had been taken from the brain. There may have been no bruise and yet there may have been unconsciousness.

Mr David QC had read to me extracts relating to the scenario of leg folding. Parts of the theory were possible. I could not see how the shin could bang on the edge of the bath. I could not have excluded a slip. Epilepsy is very difficult to find at autopsy.

The possibility of a heart condition required a pathologist to take multiple slides from the heart. I would have subjected the heart to rigorous examination. That was not done. A heart condition can arise without any previous history. I would have looked for signs of myocarditis. Dr James would have done that too.

I would have had the brain examined by a specialist neuropathologist. The test which was done on the urine would not have excluded some common drugs.

The death in this case was suspicious. It is uncommon for a fit 29 year old to die with 0.08% alcohol. I could not have excluded an accident or natural causes. During an epileptic fit, the legs can jerk and cause bruising.

I had been told that the deceased was fit and healthy. I have been informed since that that may not be correct. It is therefore important that I now be provided with the full medical history, and all of the Forensic Science Centre files so that I can make a proper assessment.

I had not viewed the histology slides. An alcohol level of 0.08% was significant and could lead to mental or motor impairment. Drugs could not be excluded as a causative factor in this death.

Dr Manock’s view as to the cause of death in this case could not be substantiated. Other causes of death have not been properly excluded.

Sworn and signed by Professor Anthony Joseph Ansford.

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