13. Autopsy Report on Nurse Brigid Henry

[24 July]

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"...Ms Brigid Henry (the "Deceased") was admitted to Georgetown University Hospital on the afternoon of 18 July. She had suffered heavy injuries to the face. These had macerated the bone structure on the left side of her face to such an extent that the Deceased was not immediately recognised by the nurse who admitted her or the surgical team who operated on her, all of whom had worked with the Deceased.

The Deceased was found to have suffered severe brain damage as a result of the massive contusions to her skull. These contusions were initially attributed to a fall that the Deceased was alleged to have suffered at her house or in a public park. On closer examination it is difficult to see how any fall could have occasioned the injuries that the Deceased sustained. These injuries were confined to the face and any fall that occasioned such injuries could reasonably be expected to have caused additional bodily injury. However, there was no injury of any nature to the Deceased's body apart from some bruising of the right wrist and the left knee.

The nature of the injuries to the Deceased's face and the absence of any other injury apart from limited bruising of the right wrist and the left knee suggest that the Deceased was beaten around the face with a blunt weapon while lying on her back. The bruising on her right wrist and left leg suggest that her attacker held down her two hands with the hand that was not wielding the instrument which struck her - probably the left hand - and that he held down her two legs by kneeling heavily on the left leg (the right leg being trapped underneath).

I have been asked to comment expressly on whether the other injuries suffered are consistent with the accused being held down in a car whilst simultaneously being battered about the face with a hammer. It is my professional opinion that they are.

The autopsy examination reveals severe cranial, cerebral and arterial damage that occasioned massive internal bleeding and would have resulted in the Deceased being reduced to a severely vegetative state had she survived.

The report of the operating surgeon reveals that despite every effort being made to halt this bleeding and to resuscitate the Deceased she died at 2.15 p.m. It is my professional opinion that this was the near inevitable result of the injuries that the Deceased had suffered and that, if she recovered consciousness, she would have suffered continuous and irreversible brain damage that would have rendered it impossible for her to enjoy any semblance of "normal" life. That the Deceased survived as long as she did after her admission to hospital is perhaps best ascribed to her own fighting-spirit and also to the quality of the surgical team who operated on her.

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Cause of Death: Cerebral haemorrhage.

Proximate cause of death: Assault with a blunt weapon, consistent with hammer injuries.

Any other injury noted: Limited. Bruising of the right wrist. Marked bruising of the left leg (immediately below the knee joint) consistent with some form of restraint.

Blood tests: Clear.

Any other comment: The Deceased was in the very early stages of pregnancy (2-3 weeks)."