Friday, April 27, 2012

Bulletin: Hannah Overton: Day Five: County Medical Examiner open to hear new information or research. Corpus Christi Caller-Times.


STORY: "Day five of Hannah Overton hearing ends," by reporter Michelle Villarreal, published in the Corpus Christi Caller-Times on April 27, 2012.

GIST: "A hearing in Hannah Overton's capital murder case will resume on Monday. Judge Jose Longoria stopped the hearing at about 3 p.m. today because he had a prior appointment. The hearing will resume at 8 a.m. Monday, which will be the fifth day he will hear testimony. Attorney Lisa Harris, who represented Overton's husband, Larry, is expected to take the stand. She could be the last witness.........Nueces County Medical Examiner Ray Fernandez ruled the death as a homicide and found the boy died from sodium poisoning and blunt force head trauma. Fernandez said today that he did some research about salt poisoning for the case. Overton attorneys questioned whether Fernandez already had made up his mind about the boy's cause of death based on claims of child abuse and police reports before he did the autopsy. He said it is standard policy to review autopsy and police reports to determine cause of death. "I don't base a determination of cause of death solely on a police report or medical record. I determine it on a combination of reports," Fernandez said. Fernandez said the cause of death is based on information that he reviewed. If new information becomes available down the road then he will go back and change the cause of death if appropriate. He said he would be willing to hear new information or research in the Overton case."

THE ENTIRE STORY CAN BE FOUND AT:
http://www.caller.com/news/2012/apr/27/day-five-under-way-hannah-overton-hearing/?print=1

PUBLISHER'S NOTE:

I am monitoring this case. Keep your eye on the Charles Smith Blog for reports on developments.

The Toronto Star, my previous employer for more than twenty incredible years, has put considerable effort into exposing the harm caused by Dr. Charles Smith and his protectors - and into pushing for reform of Ontario's forensic pediatric pathology system. The Star has a "topic" section which focuses on recent stories related to Dr. Charles Smith. It can be found at:
http://www.thestar.com/topic/charlessmith

Information on "The Charles Smith Blog Award"- and its nomination process - can be found at:

http://smithforensic.blogspot.com/2011/05/charles-smith-blog-award-nominations.html

Please send any comments or information on other cases and issues of interest to the readers of this blog to: hlevy15@gmail.com

Harold Levy: Publisher; The Charles Smith Blog.