Graphic testimony of Richard Oland’s autopsy heard by Saint John jury Friday

NOTE: Some readers may find some of the details in this story disturbing.

SAINT JOHN – The pathologist who performed the autopsy on the body of Richard Oland closed out day 14 of the Dennis Oland trial in Saint John on Friday.

Dennis, the 47-year-old son of well known businessman Richard Oland, is charged with second degree murder in the grisly death of his father in July of 2011.

The brutal severity of the murder of Richard Oland more than four years ago has been brought into full focus this week. Doctor Ather Naseemudeen, who did the official post-mortem on the battered body, was the only person to take the stand today.

Naseemudeen began his testimony on Thursday and once again the court saw very graphic photos taken during the autopsy. Naseemudeen outlined the fourteen fractures to Richard Oland’s skull, the most serious coming to the left side of his head. Some of the blows broke through the full thickness of the skull. He said they were most consistent with chop type wounds inflicted with significant force.

Under cross examination, the doctor agreed to the suggestion that Oland’s skull had been completely broken.

The wounds had earlier been described as round in shape with texture along with sharp wounds

Naseemudeen said the several defensive wounds on Richard Oland’s hands would likely have been inflicted while he was still conscious. But the quote “terribly incapacitating injuries to the head”  would likely have been made after the victim was incapable of making any type of defensive motion. The official cause of death was multiple sharp blunt force injuries to the head.

Naseemuddin guessed it took Richard Oland between five and ten minutes to die.

The pathologist was also asked about any open sores visible on Oland’s head, to which he replied there were none he saw. Earlier in the trial, Richard Oland’s secretary Maureen Adamson said he had a skin condition on his scalp that sometimes showed blood.

Under cross examination defense lawyer Alan Gold touched on a number of areas including the defensive wounds to Richard Oland’s hands. Doctor Naseemudeen agreed they could have been suffered by Oland in aggression towards his attacker and that Oland appeared healthy and capable of defending himself.

Once again the defense suggested the killer would, no matter what type of weapon or weapons were used, be covered in blood as well as the weapon.

The trial resumes on Tuesday.