Douse suffered deep stab wounds, lost 8.5 litres of blood, forensic pathologist says
Crown prosecutors conclude case in first-degree murder trial; closing arguments Tuesday
The wound cut deep into Carel Douse’s stomach, injuring his pancreas and, critically, the abdominal aorta, the largest blood vessel in the body.
It was one of three stabbing injuries “that contributed most to Mr. Douse’s death,” said a forensic pathologist who testified Wednesday as the Crown’s final witness in the first-degree murder trial.
The 33-year-old victim also suffered two deep gashes to his chest and abdomen, and additional stabbing wounds to his buttocks and thigh.
Dr. Jay Maxwell described more than a dozen additional “sharp force injuries” to Douse’s face, arm, and even the top of his foot — all classified “incised” wounds, distinguished from stab injuries by their shallower depth.
One of these incised injuries was a laceration measuring 2.5 centimetres in length on the thumb, that Maxwell said Douse likely suffered while trying to defend himself.
When accounting for bleeding during transfusions he received at Hamilton General Hospital, Douse lost about 8.5 total litres of blood. Maxwell noted that an averagesized male has about 5.6 litres of blood circulating in the body.
Douse was pronounced dead at 12:21 p.m. on May 18, 2019, about nine hours after he was allegedly attacked by co-accused Daniel Wise and Alieu Jeng.
The Ottawa-based doctor performed an autopsy on Douse the next day, May 19, at the General, when the hospital still had a forensic pathology unit.
The most severe stab wound measured 8.5 centimetres deep, but Dr. Maxwell said it is difficult to put an exact number on depth, “because tissues are compressible,” and so the wounds could have been slightly deeper, or shallower, “depending on his position and the compression.”
He would not say if the weapon had been a “knife,” because there were no serrated edges or patterns noted. He said he could not estimate the length of the “cutting implement,” or in what order the wounds were inflicted.
Crown prosecutors presented no evidence that a weapon used in the stabbing was ever found. Defence lawyers had earlier questioned a forensic investigator about a small knife recovered that was never tested for blood.
On Wednesday, a photo exhibit of this knife, introduced by the defence, was again shown to the jury: it has a decorative “Derringerstyle” pistol-motif handle, and a blade measuring fewer than 3.5 centimetres.
At the request of Justice Toni Skarica, the photo was shown in court to Maxwell.
“The obvious question is if that knife could have been involved in the stabbing of Mr. Douse,” said Skarica.
“I can’t say one way or the other,” Maxwell replied.
Douse’s wounded body was tended to on the porch of a house on East Avenue North, by paramedics, firefighters and a police officer.
Tyler Smith, Wise’s lawyer, asked Maxwell if shears and a utility knife used by emergency responders to remove Douse’s clothes could have made some of the “incised” wounds.
Maxwell said the shears have blunt tips, but that such a scenario was “possible.”
Smith also directed the forensic pathologist to Page 5 of his 17-page report.
“You observed tattoos on Mr. Douse?” Smith asked.
“Yes,” replied Maxwell.
“One says ‘thug life,’ on the right forearm?”
“Yes.”
The report also noted a tattoo on Douse’s left arm, of praying hands.
Defence lawyers said in court they will call no evidence. That means neither Wise nor Jeng will take the witness stand.
The trial next sits Tuesday, March 21, when the Crown and defence present their closing addresses.