Stella Harris of Garden Court Crime Team represented the defendant, led by Sean Larkin KC of QEB Hollis Whiteman and instructed by Greg Powell of Powell Spencer & Partners.
This case concerned complex issues of causation and expert pathological evidence; neuro-pathological evidence relating to commotio cerebri and histopathological evidence relating to the aging and mechanism of rib fractures.
The background involved financial exploitation of a vulnerable man, earlier incidents of violence and extensive bad character evidence.
Ultimately, by virtue of their verdict, the jury were unable to be sure that the defendant intended to kill or cause the deceased, grievous bodily harm. The defendant was charged with the lesser alternative, manslaughter.
