B.C. teen victim’s injuries consistent with dragging, says pathologist in Ibrahim Ali trial

Ibrahim Ali – focus keyword : B.C. teen victim’s injuries consistent with dragging and strangulation: forensic pathologist

Warning: The following article contains explicit content that may be distressing to individuals who have experienced sexual violence or know someone who has.

According to forensic pathologist Dr. Jason Morin, a B.C. teen had injuries that could have been a result of being dragged before her death. The 13-year-old victim’s body showed small scrapes on the back of her head that were unlikely to have been caused by a blunt strike to the head. When questioned by defence lawyer Ben Lynskey, Morin confirmed that the injuries were consistent with being dragged. The victim also had long, vertical scrapes on her legs that could have been caused by dragging.

Ibrahim Ali is currently on trial for first-degree murder and has pleaded not guilty. Prosecutors argue that the teenage victim was passing through Burnaby Central Park, likely wearing earbuds, when she was attacked and dragged into the woods before being sexually assaulted and strangled to death. The Crown contends that DNA recovered from the crime scene belonged to Ali.

During his autopsy report, Morin concluded that the teen died “secondary to strangulation,” meaning that strangulation was the primary cause of death. He also noted the presence of facial petechial hemorrhages, or minor, burst blood vessels beneath the victim’s chin and eyes, consistent with strangulation injuries. Lynskey questioned whether petechial hemorrhages could have other causes, but Morin explained that the dense prevalence of petechiae on the victim’s face was indicative of strangulation. He added that about 90 percent of strangulation cases produce petechiae on the victim’s face.

Justice Lance Bernard excused one juror from the trial after announcing that the previous end date was no longer feasible. He also acknowledged that several jurors had availability concerns over the summer and fall. Bernard suggested that accommodations would be made for those who were unavailable and that all jury members would be excused over those dates.

If you have been sexually assaulted, crisis lines and local support services are available. Visit the Government of Canada website or the Ending Violence Association of Canada database for more information. In an emergency, call 911.

News Source : CBC