The medical report of beaten City Mall shop owner Dhanwantie Phulchand revealed that the injuries she sustained were life threatening.
Her alleged attackers—Marissa George and John Caesar – are on trial before Justice Sandil Kissoon and a 12-member jury for attempting to murder Phulchand on July 4th, 2009.
Taking the witness stand when the trial continued yesterday was Dr. Dwayne Kellman, who read and explained the medical report from which the court heard that the multiple lacerations, fractures and blunt trauma Phulchand sustained could have cost her her life.
The doctor said the fracture to the skull, which the woman sustained, had to have been caused by an object heavy enough to have resulted in the blunt force trauma she suffered.
Phulchand had previously testified to being hit by Caesar with a heavy object, which he had concealed in a bag.
Responding to questions from Prosecutor Abigail Gibbs, Dr. Kellman said that as severe as a beating might be, it was nonetheless possible for someone to survive—given the particular person’s pain threshold.
He explained that an individual’s pain threshold resilience is situational and so is their responses, which varies from person to person. He added that it did not mean that severe injuries exerted on such a person could not be considered as posing a threat to their life.
He said, too, that a person can suffer a heavy blow and still be conscious, or suffer a blackout for a long or short period of time or even slip into a coma, from which they may or may not regain consciousness.
When asked, Dr. Kellman told Gibbs that the injuries Phulchand suffered could cause lasting after-effects for a long time, ranging from recurrent headaches, dizziness, seizures, vision and hearing impairment and even permanent physical incapacity resulting in the inability to move or even speak.
The complainant had previously testified to suffering from severe headaches and dizzy spells. She had also told the court of the many deep indentations she still had in her head because of the attack.
In her testimony, Phulchand had told the court that during the brutal beating, the two had kicked out two of her teeth. The woman had removed the dentures she was wearing and displayed to the court the empty space where two missing bottom incisors were once imbedded.
The trial continues this morning at 9.30
Apart from the attempted murder indictment levelled against the accused, they have been charged with the alternative count of wounding the woman with the intention of causing her grievous bodily harm; or to maim, disfigure or disable her.
Additionally, they are also charged with robbing Phulchand of $527,000, a purse and a shirt and being violent to her during the alleged robbery.
George is being represented by attorney Damian Da Silva, while Caesar is represented by Brandon De Santos.
