Pathologist says man was starved to death: Defense suggests that cancer caused condition
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The testimony of intensive care unit nurse Bruce Carr came during the opening day of testimony in the second-degree murder case against Doreen Jones, 48, who is charged with allegedly killing the 67-year-old mentally ill man by starvation. Prosecutors say Jones was the care-giver for the victim and that her neglect caused his death on Oct. 2, 2001.
The defense maintains Jones did the best she could to care for the schizophrenic victim for almost three years after accepting him into her home after Jackson’s Boarding Home closed. The defense believes an underlying physical condition, perhaps leukemia, caused the victim to waste away to the 81 pounds he weighed when he was taken to the hospital one week before his death.
The first physician to see Anderson, Dr. Laura Helfman, admitted she did not think he would live given his condition when he was brought into the emergency room at River Park Hospital on Sept. 25.
“He was skin and bones,” Helfman said, noting he weighed 81 pounds and his body temperature was around 84 degrees, suggesting extreme hypothermia.
Anderson was taken to the emergency room by paramedics Richard Steinbach and Robert Koger, who testified the victim appeared to be dead when they arrived at Jones’ trailer on Martin Street. The paramedics recalled Anderson was only partially clothed and lying on what looked like a shower curtain in a back bedroom.
After initial treatment in the emergency room, Anderson was transferred to the River Park intensive care unit where Carr attended to him.
“He was the most starved patient I’ve ever seen,” Carr said, noting he saw numerous bruises and cuts on his body. Prosecutors, in their opening statement, said they intend to produce witnesses who had earlier seen Jones abusing Anderson. The defense said those witnesses are either mistaken or lying.
Carr went on to say his findings showed Anderson’s gaunt appearance was caused by malnutrition. On cross-examination by Assistant Public Defender Scott Grissom, it was pointed out the 5-foot-6 victim had only weighed 128 pounds a few months before when he was in the hospital.
However, forensic pathologist Tom Deering contended the lengths of Anderson’s starvation would have taken “weeks or even months” to have occurred. He listed the official cause of death as severe malnutrition by neglect.
Showing graphic pictures of the emaciated victim to the jury as Jones watched stoically from the defense table, Deering pointed to the fact there was no fat nor muscle tone on the victim’s body. The emaciated appearance, Deering said, meant Anderson was likely unable to care for himself and probably could not even crawl given the way his muscles had wasted away. Bed sores and the loss of hair on the back of his head, Deering continued, suggested the victim had laid in one position for an extended period.
Anticipating the defense theory a disease such as undiagnosed cancer caused Anderson’s death, Deering pointed out he conducted numerous tests and found no evidence Anderson suffered from cancer. Deering said he found signs of pneumonia in one of his lungs, but said that was likely contracted during his stay in the hospital, brought on by his weakened condition due to malnutrition.
On cross-examination, Assistant Public Defender Bobby Boyd pointed out there were reports Anderson was talking, laughing and singing the night before he was taken to the hospital. Deering said he had received the report but did not believe it given his deteriorated condition.
Testimony will continue this morning at 8 a.m. The trial is expected to run into Saturday.