On any given month, approximately 90 autopsies are performed at the Forensic Science Centre in St James. Half of this figure represented homicides, the majority of which were young men between the ages of 17 to 24 who lost their lives to gun violence.
The startling statistics were revealed by senior forensic pathologist Dr Valery Alexandrov during an interview at his office yesterday. "On Thursday I did autopsy number 818 at the centre," Alexandrov said. In practice for some 38 years, Alexandrov was previously stationed in Trinidad in 2007, after being hired by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in the capacity of a senior forensic pathologist for the Commonwealth of Caribbean Countries. He was then hired directly by the T&T Government as a senior forensic pathologist in the latter part of 2008.
A native of Russia and a US citizen, Alexandrov cited Mondays as usually the busiest day at the centre given the high rate of killings which occur over the weekend. "This Monday I started at eight and I left at eight in the night. I worked a 12-hour shift without any lunch, taking any break or even just to smoke a cigarette," Alexandrov said. He said on Monday he performed ten autopsies five of which were homicides. According to Alexandrov, apart from him, the only other forensic pathologist working in Trinidad was Dr Eastlyn McDonald-Borris. Saying this was insufficient, Alexandrov said given the spiralling crime rate, there was an urgent need for at least four other forensic pathologists and eight mortuary attendants at the centre. Lack of clerical support also posed serious problems as Alexandrov recounted the many occasions when much of his time was consumed by writing and signing forms.
"This is a terrible problem. There are all sorts of different forms which I have to write up myself. "I have to write death certificate, post-mortem certificate, evidence submission forms, chain of custody records and cremation forms which include four sheets of paper. Instead of doing autopsies I am writing forms," Alexandrov said.
National Forensic Centre needed
There is an urgent need for the performing of forensic autopsies to be centralised hence accelerating the process, Alexandrov said.
He said some of the post mortems done at the various hospitals fell in the category of forensic autopsies. Forensic science, Alexandrov explained, entailed unnatural deaths, homicides, suicides, paediatric deaths and all cases of sudden and unexpected deaths. "If all forensic cases were processed at the centre there would be close to 1,500 cases a year. "But then the centre would have to be expanded and equipped with more resources," Alexandrov said. And to make the national centre more efficient, Alexandrov advised that it be opened seven days week as done in first world countries. The documentation of autopsies using photographs was not used Trinidad, Alexandrov said. Flipping through a plastic casing containing CDs, Alexandrov said each time he performed an autopsy he personally took photographic evidence of his work.
Citing the case of prisoner Tyrone Peters who was discovered hanging in a cell at the La Horquetta Police Station on August 22, Alexandrov said he possessed some 75 photos of the autopsy he did on Peters. Alexandrov stood firmly by his conclusion that Peters died as a result of asphyxia consistent with hanging. A second autopsy performed on Peters' body by Dr Hughvon des Vignes said Peters died as a result of throttling application of arm locking or choke hold).
Terrible crime situation
The crime situation in T&T was described by Alexandrov as terrible. "The crime situation in Trinidad is really high. It's a disaster. "This year the homicide rate would probably reach 600," Alexandrov predicted. Compounding the situation, Alexandrov said too many young men were being cut down in the prime of their lives. "It's like elimination of the genes," Alexandrov said.
