Experts argue over cause of victim’s death

MEDICAL experts testifying in the murder trial of Sharisha Chauhan seem to have different opinions on the cause of the young woman’s death.

A senior paramedic with advanced training gave evidence this week that Chauhan died as a result of a drug overdose, but a professor of clinical pharmacology bolstered the state’s case that she died from manual strangulation.

Chauhan’s boyfriend at the time, Taariq Phillips, is accused of her murder.

It is the State’s case that Phillips raped and strangled Chauhan. The young woman was found naked and having seizures by friends who claimed they had left her in the care of Phillips and she was fine when they last saw her.

The couple and friends were at a rave party at the La Bac Estate in Paarl on New Year’s Eve, 2013, when Chauhan became ill in the early hours of January 1, 2014.

She died later that day at Mediclinic Paarl.

Friends of the couple testified that they had bought and ingested LSD and ecstasy, but now a cousin of the dead woman has changed her initial statement to the police and testified that she did not see anyone take the drugs.

Paramedic Barry Barling testified in the Cape High Court this week about his efforts to save the young woman’s life.

“When the deceased was brought to the medical tent she was having seizures and it was like her veins had shut down,” said Barling.

He said he battled to find veins and medical staff could not administer anticonvulsant medication to stop the seizures.

According to Barling, he was eventually able to connect a drip to Chauhan’s right arm and administer Diazepam, the anticonvulsant medication.

Barling was informed by friends of Chauhan that they had consumed drugs.

“The patient was secreting from the mouth, had clenched jaws, dilated pupils and was unresponsive to light,” said Barling, supporting symptoms of a drugs overdose.

Under cross-examination by defence advocate Joey Moses, it emerged that Barling had made the notes for the medical report later that morning and recorded the details from memory.

Last week, forensics expert Professor Lorna Martin testified she was also of the opinion that Chauhan died as a result of manual strangulation.

The defence then questioned the bruises on the body of the deceased and opined that these may have been caused during the treatment Chauhan received from medical staff, and not by Phillips.

Barling’s testimony was however contradicted by that of specialist clinical pharmacologist, Professor Marc Blockman, who was adamant that Chauhan’s death was not caused by the intake of LSD and ecstasy, but rather manual strangulation.

“Lab reports showed that no traces of LSD or MDMA (ecstasy) were found in the blood and urine of Sharisha. No medicines, legal or illegal lead to her death,” insisted Blockman.

The professor testified that three different sets of tests were conducted at two independent laboratories and all tests were conclusive.

Tests results indicated that a cocaine metabolite was found, which indicated the deceased may have used cocaine a few days before the rave at La Bac.

Blockman also discredited a claim by the defence that injuries to Chauhan’s vagina and anus were the results of vigorous masturbation.

“I have never seen any injuries like that that were caused by someone masturbating themselves,” said Blockman.

According to Moses, the accused will testify that after Chauhan consumed the drugs she became sexually aroused and demanded sex from him, which he did not agree to.

The trial will resume on Monday.

Taariq Phillips