For those that may which to read, there follows part of the cross examination of Pang at the re-trial giving evidence as to why he as able to give a TOD in the first trial accurately at 7.15 in the evening, being approximately an hour after it is presumed Christine and Amber ate a Mcdonald's meal, only to say in the retrial that he was able to 'extend' that time to 3am in the morning. Of course because of Lundy's inability to be in 2 places at once if he were the killer the times of death couldn't have been during a time it was known he was in Wellington spending time with a prostitute. One could say that Pang's change of times was conveniently helpful to the Crown essentially dropping 1 case and replacing it with another at short notice.
Anyway I suggest for those that read it, that another irony is Pang writing to TVNZ after a documentary made by Bryan Bruce in 2010 estimating that the times of death in the Lundy case were at 2am and Pang's strong denial of that.
My opinion is that Pang's evidence was so compromised beyond his autopsy finding that it shouldn't have been put to the Jury, and is a large part of the reason Lundy was reconvicted when the evidence points to his innocence. This case may not be a popular cause but don't close your mind to the real facts. A dodgy and changing time of death, firm for a dozen years then dropped, a dodgy tiny spot on a shirt 'analysed' by an American Doctor in an unauthorised for forensic purposes laboratory who gave evidence that he would have been prohibited to give in a USA Court because of lack accreditation, qualification, a safe forensic audited path way, lack of providence on a parallel test he made on his own work in the same unauthorised lab. Dodgy with a capital of D, 2 Ds helpful for the comment dumb and dumber. Don't be fooled. Remember this case involves a man who for a dozen years was said to have when dressed as woman to have been seen running from the murders in the early evening.
Q. You are familiar aren't you with schedule 4, the Code
of Conduct for
10 Expert Witnesses?
A. No, sorry.
Q. You're not? Well perhaps I’d better show you a copy.
A. Okay, yeah.
Q. Thank you Mr Crier.
15 WITNESS REFERRED TO CODE OF CONDUCT FOR EXPERT
WITNESSES
Q. Paragraph 1 you'll see Dr Pang, “An expert witness has
an overriding
duty to assist the Court impartially on relevant matters
within the experts
area of expertise.” “2; an expert witness is not an advocate
for the party
20 who engages the witness.” Basically, Dr Pang, that
means you're not
here to just bat for one side. You've got a duty to the
Court to be
impartial?> snip
20 Q. Okay, now can we start again and can I have an
answer to my question.
The learned Judge a moment ago established from you that
there was a
difference between your position back then, at trial one,
and your
position now and you accepted that that was so. Now I
want to know
when it was that you changed your mind. Now, first of
all, before you
25 answer that, do you understand the question?
A. I, I would think so, yes, yeah.
Q. All right, well can I have an answer please?
A. The answer to that is I gave an estimate at the
previous trial and the
present knowing the limitation of estimating the time of
death with
30 gastric contents would rather state the only certain
time I knew and that
death could have occurred is between the 14 hour bracket.
Q. Dr Pang, let us try again. When did you change your
mind? You told
the learned Judge you had changed your position?
A. Yes.
2125
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
Q. I want to know when it was that you changed your
position?
A. I would think that’s after the Privy Council judgment
which you clarify
and emphasise the limitation which I already mentioned at
the first trial.
Q. Well you would agree with me wouldn’t you that there
is nowhere in any
of the material before the Privy Council that suggested 5
that it might take
some 14 hours and still someone has a full stomach.
That’s right isn't
it?
1500
A. They are just, because it's a biological process there
are a lot of
10 variables. In a normal subject it is unlikely but it
is giving an estimate
without know all the variables affecting any individuals.
So for the
majority of individuals that is correct but there is a
minority, maybe even
a significant minority when the situation could be
different. So to give an
answer that is certain I could only stay within the
normal time of that
15 14 hour bracket but that's different from giving an
estimate which I
already said will be imprecise because it's a biological
process, it's
subject to variables and I would defer to a physiologist,
a
gastroenterology to define that range and the limit at
the last trial. I did
not attempt to give a range or a time bracket myself
because it wasn't
20 my area of expertise.
Q. You told us a few moments ago that what changed your
mind caused
you to change your position is what occurred before the
Privy Council,
yes?
A. That's correct, yes.
25 Q. The affidavit of Professor Knight you've been asked
about, that was
before the Privy Council, yes?
A. That's correct, yes.
Q. And you read the contents of that, yes?
A. Yes.
30 Q. And that he, according to him, normal healthy adult
from time of eating
to emptying, having an empty stomach after a normal meal,
three to four
hours and then he stretches it to six as a limit, that's
what
Professor Knight says, yes?
A. Yes.
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Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
Q. So that can't have changed your mind about one to 14
hours delay, can
it?
A. Not on that basis, no.
Q. Professor Paul Ciclitira, his affidavit put the limit
of about just six or just
over six hours eating to empty 5 stomach, do you agree?
A. Yes.
Q. Can't have been his affidavit that made you change
your mind, could it?
A. No.
Q. Professor Diamant? Paragraph 196 I think it is of
Truscott he refers to,
10 referred to in Bernard Knight’s affidavit. He again
postulates two to
three hours eating to emptying in a normal adult but
would be pushed to
six hours. That's right, isn't it?
A. That's correct, yes.
Q. So that can't have changed your mind to one to 14,
could it?
15 A. No.
Q. Tell me, who asked you to change your mind?
A. I’d – please, can I refer you to that affidavit that I
gave for the
Privy Council?
Q. In that affidavit you did not suggest one to 14 hours
or anything even
20 approaching it?
A. No but I quoted a paragraph from Professor Knight
which he stated, “In
the majority of individuals emptying of the stomach with
an average
meal is within three to four hours and is up to six hours
for a heavy
meal,” which is in fact the evidence I gave at the, the
first trial about,
25 specifically talking about an anaesthetic but he also
added a paragraph,
“That even though the greater majority of individuals
there’s a minority
when this limit, the time limit would not apply and this
could be even a
significant minority and therefore we cannot place an
estimate on such
shifting sand as stomach contents.” And that he say, the
thing I follow
30 on to be on the safe side was to not even estimate but
if you ask me
about the time that is certain that is a time bracket of
14 hours. So I
have not been talked into changing my mind by anyone.
1505
2127
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
Q. Okay. We know, of course – tell me this, just
continuing as to the timing
of your change of position. You say it was after the
Privy Council.
A. Just about the time.
Q. Sorry, just about that time?
5 A. Yes, yes.
Q. Well I’ll tell you what, did you ring up London when
the revelation
dropped in your mind and said, “Look, hey, I got it
really wrong in the
first trial”? Did you contact anyone?
A. No I have not been in touch with anyone in London.
10 Q. Well what about the police or Crown law, did you go
to them and say,
“Look, I’m dreadfully sorry but having reflected on the,
what the
Privy Council have said, I think I got it wrong.” Did
you?
A. No I’ve not been in touch with anyone concerning this
case.
Q. Well tell me, see we know and the Judge – the jury
will find out in due
15 course, we didn't know until mid-January of this year
that the
prosecution changed their theory about when the time of
death was. It
used to be early.
A. Mhm.
Q. First trial.
20 A. Yes.
Q. And then it became late, second trial?
A. Yes, mmm.
Q. Now your – you've changed as well and what I want to
know is whether
that’s a coincidence or not?
25 A. It is not a coincident. I could refer you to a
printout I got from a east
Midland forensic pathology unit which I came across at
the time of
preparing my affidavit for the Privy Council and this
applies to forensic
pathology in general. If I may just read out a relevant
paragraph. Just,
“Although a number of investigative tools are available
to the pathologist
30 to assist in the consideration of this question, that
is the time since
death, it must be borne in mind that no matter which tool
is used the
opinion proffered is only an estimation. All that can be
said, with any
certainty, is that the deceased died sometime between the
last time that
they were seen alive and the time they were discovered.”
And on the
2128
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
basis of this I would say it’s not therefore safe to give
any estimate of
time to be, which may be misinterpreted as a time of any
accuracy or
certainty. So it is not following the prosecution’s case
which I am not
party to determine a time, changing of time from 7
o'clock to early
morning. There was – 5 I have no party in that area.
Q. Okay.
A. And I did not know of the change in time until I’d
read that in the media.
Q. Okay, well –
THE COURT:
10 Q. Can I just be clear here. As I’ve understood it
your one to 14 is;
one hour is gastric juices to kick in, 14 is the length
of time that elapsed
between the two periods when someone, or the last period
when
someone spoke to Mrs Lundy and when she was, her body was
discovered?
15 A. Except Your Honour, is the more between zero to 14 hours.
Q. Zero to 14 hours?
A. Yes.
Q. So the evidence that Mr Hislop is putting to you about
what, are they
gastroenterologists or –
20 MR HISLOP QC
Both, a mixture of both.
THE COURT:
Q. – are saying, are you disputing that?
A. Sorry, I –
25 Q. If they say, based on this case it couldn’t be more
than six hours after
food was eaten, are you disputing that as an expert or
not?
A. I’m not disputing that, I think it should apply to the
majority of individuals.
CROSS-EXAMINATION CONTINUES: MR HISLOP QC
Q. So you would accept in the majority of individuals it
takes, at the
30 outside, about six hours for the stomach to go from
full to empty?
2129
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
A. That's correct, yes.
Q. And to be fair on you that’s a view that you've held
for quite a long time
isn't it?
A. That's correct, yes.
5 1510
Q. Because I think it was in November, 30th of November
2010 you were in
correspondence with TVNZ about a certain TV programme and
you
were complaining because you thought that the broadcaster
had been
unfair and misleading?
10 A. That's correct yes.
Q. Okay. And the crucial issue in the, in that complaint
of yours – and what
I’m going to do is put a copy of it for – I’ve got a copy
of it here and we
have a copy for the Crown. We’ve got a copy for the
Court.
Your Honour it may assist the jury because there is a
little bit of material
15 that they have a copy to follow through. You will
recall that the
broadcaster, a Mr Bruce was opining a time of death about
2.00 am in
the morning –
A. That’s correct, yes.
Q. – that was his hypothesis?
20 A. That's correct yes.
Q. And it’s right, isn’t it, that you were essentially
saying in your complaint
that you didn’t accept that as a hypothesis at all, do
you agree, you were
disagreeing with him?
A. That's correct yes.
25 Q. And I think you set out the reasons why you
disagreed with him and you
said, “Yes,” and this is page 5, if you want to follow,
of your letter of the
30th of November 2010 and it’s almost half way down the page,
the last
sentence of the second paragraph on that page and you're
explaining,
“Yet at post-mortem the stomachs were full of food, it
was photographed
30 as undigested,” and that’s what you were talking about
Christine and
Amber Lundy, do you agree?
A. I beg your pardon, what page?
Q. I’m sorry, page 5.
A. Yes.
2130
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
Q. And it’s the second paragraph and it’s the last
sentence of that
paragraph.
A. Sorry...
Q. “Yet at post-mortem the stomachs were full and food
was photographed
as undigested.” 5 Then you go on, “So –
THE COURT ADDRESSES MR HISLOP QC – PAUSE (15:14:00)
THE COURT:
Q. So count in five pages from the front Dr Pang.
A. Yes.
10 Q. And you should have a page that starts, “There are
however significant
problems,” is the first line.
A. Yes thank you Your Honour.
Q. Got that – then go down, the second paragraph is, “Mr
Bruce,” and the
third is, “A routine day”?
15 A. Yes.
Q. Okay, just about “routine day” you're being read the
last two sentences,
“Yet at post-mortem...”?
A. Yes.
CROSS-EXAMINATION CONTINUES: MR HISLOP QC
20 Q. “Yet at post-mortem the stomachs were full and food
was photographed
as undigested.” So Mr Bruce’s assertion of 2.00 am or
3.00 am does
not work, do you see that?
A. Yes.
Q. And you were basing that assertion on that the six
hour outside limit
25 from eating to stomach empty, yes?
A. That's correct, yes.
1515
Q. And you go on and you start to provide reasons, other
reasons why
you're right and Mr Bruce has got it wrong. You say, “A
routine
30 day-to-day situation can help us understand the time
gastric emptying
takes. I gave evidence on this point at Court although Mr
Bruce did not
2131
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
make any mention of it in his programme. This is that
when patients
require a general anaesthetic for surgery to prevent
aspiration of
stomach contents which can cause morbidity and even
fatality, patients
are asked to fast, nil by mouth for a minimum of six
hours.” As an
example, an information sheet from the Royal 5 Free
Hospital and I think
you included that in your letter and you quote, “Having
nothing to eat for
a minimum of six hours before surgery in this way we can
assure that
your stomach is empty of all food.” And then you go on,
“This is also
pointed out in the text book edited by Jason Payne James
and Others,”
10 an you've referred to that in an appendix to your
letter, referred to the
above, “In normal individuals prior to upper
gastrointestinal endoscopy a
six hour nil per mouth period ensures that initially
every stomach is
empty irrespective of precise food type and that often a
four hour period
will ensure that the stomach is empty.” Now is that
something that you
15 have obtained from that text you refer to?
A. That's correct, yes.
Q. And you go on, “Doctors accept six hours is enough to
empty one’s
stomach for general anaesthetic and surgery in day-to-day
hospital
practices. Using the same six hour rule we can expect Christine
and
20 Amber’s stomachs to be empty by or before midnight
(six hours after
eating at 6.00 pm) empty enough to be safe for surgery.
And you go in,
“And probably earlier at 10.00 pm if we apply Dr Knight’s
two to four
hours for most people and often a four hour period will
ensure the
stomach is empty.” And this is you quoting from this
textbook that your
25 referring the Chief Executive to the TVNZ to, is that
right?
A. That's correct, yes.
Q. And then you say, “The demonstration of significant
stomach contents at
Christine and Amber’s post-mortem therefore makes Mr
Bruce’s
assertion of death at 2.00 am or even 3.00 am quite
wrong.” Do you
30 agree that's what you were saying then?
A. That's correct, yes.
Q. And do you agree, are you saying that that is still
right today?
A. That is correct for the majority of individuals.
2132
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
Q. And then you go on, “Therefore the thesis of Mr
Bruce’s presentation
and assertion that murders occurred at 2.00 am is
inaccurate, it is
misleading to the viewers,” yes?
A. Yes, that's correct.
Q. And you go on at the last page of that 5 letter, “Mr
Bruce’s solution which
is that the murders took place at 2.00 am simply does not
work,” yes?
A. Yes, correct, yes.
Q. And that was your view then and that's your view now,
is that right?
A. That's my view now for the majority of individuals.
10 Q. Among the reports that you doubtless have read is a
report of the
12th of February 2015 from a Professor Horowitz. Have you
seen that
report?
A. No I haven't.
MR HISLOP QC ADDRESSES THE COURT – EARLY ADJOURNMENT
15 COURT ADJOURNS: 3.19 PM
2133
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
COURT RESUMES: 3.41 PM
CROSS-EXAMINATION CONTINUES: MR HISLOP QC
Q. Dr Pang, over the short adjournment have you had an
opportunity to
look at the report dated the 12th of 5 February of this
year by
Professor Michael Horowitz?
A. Yes I have.
Q. You would agree wouldn’t you that he is very well respected
in this
particular area?
10 A. Yes, correct, yes.
Q. You will see that it’s his view that your observations
that no gastric
emptying had commenced was really the crucial point in
the case of
Christine and Amber Lundy?
A. That's correct, yes.
15 Q. And indeed I think that was, in fairness to you,
your position for a very
long time, yes?
A. It was my position beforehand, that is still my
position now.
Q. And because Professor Horowitz says that generally
trying to determine
time of death by gastric contents is by and large
unreliable. That’s his
20 first premise isn't it?
A. That's correct, yes.
Q. But he says, doesn’t he, that this case presents a
circumstance where it
can be reliable if you were accurate in your findings
that the digestive
process had not started, do you agree?
25 A. Yes, yes, that's correct.
Q. That's correct. And so, in essence he says, if Dr
Pang’s right in his
observations, what he could and couldn’t see in the small
intestine, if
he’s accurate then I can determine time of death in the
order of about
tQ. You are familiar aren't you with schedule 4, the Code
of Conduct for
10 Expert Witnesses?
A. No, sorry.
Q. You're not? Well perhaps I’d better show you a copy.
A. Okay, yeah.
Q. Thank you Mr Crier.
15 WITNESS REFERRED TO CODE OF CONDUCT FOR EXPERT
WITNESSES
Q. Paragraph 1 you'll see Dr Pang, “An expert witness has
an overriding
duty to assist the Court impartially on relevant matters
within the experts
area of expertise.” “2; an expert witness is not an advocate
for the party
20 who engages the witness.” Basically, Dr Pang, that
means you're not
here to just bat for one side. You've got a duty to the
Court to be
impartial?
A. That's correct, yes.
Q. Right now let us, knowing that, let us look at the
evidence that you gave
25 at trial and see where it takes us.
THE COURT ADDRESSES MR HISLOP QC – LAST TRIAL (14:38:06)
CROSS-EXAMINATION CONTINUES: MR HISLOP QC
Q. And so if you pick up in front of you the transcript
please and let me take
you to a number of passages and we will see whether we
can find your
30 rough estimate.
A. Yes.
Q. Page 802 at the top please. And it’s line 17.
2118
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
A. Mhm.
Q. I’ll take it back. The learned prosecutor said this at
line 16, “I want to
come back to this after we’ve dealt with the post-mortem
of Amber but
can you describe, in brief terms, the stomach contents as
you saw
them?” And your answer was this, “The 5 stomach contained
a large
meal consisting of potato chips and probably fish, which
showed no
obvious signs of digestion and no obvious smell of
gastric juices.” “And
doctor, do you confirm that this is a routine part of a
post-mortem
examination to inspect the stomach contents?” “That's
correct, yes.”
10 THE COURT ADDRESSES MR HISLOP QC – REFERENCE PAGE
(14:39:32)
CROSS-EXAMINATION CONTINUES: MR HISLOP QC
Q. And you agree that that’s an accurate reflection of
what was asked of
you and the answers you gave, yes?
15 A. Yes that's correct.
1440
Q. And then can I take you to 823 please and you're still
being asked
questions by the learned prosecutor. Now I'm going to
have to take you
through most of this page. “Dr Pang, you told us you
examined as you
20 routinely do, the stomach contents of both Christine and
Amber?” Your
answer is, “That's correct, yes.” “And you found what you
described as
a large meal in both stomachs, appeared to you to be fish
and potato
chips?” “That's correct.” “Page 125 that shows food
particles,” you've
been referred to a photograph, “taken from the stomach of
25 Christine Lundy?” “That's correct, yes.” “And to the
right of the
photograph is what, is part of a meal, and you say,
“Potato chips.” And
then it goes on, “And to the left they appear to be what?”
And you say,
“Some fragment of fish.” Now I think we actually have a
copy of the
contents of Christine Lundy’s stomach and I wonder if you
could have a
30 look at it please. Does that look like the photograph
that you're referring
to and that which was being put to you in trial one?
2119
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
WITNESS REFERRED TO PHOTOGRAPH OF STOMACH CONTENTS OF
CHRISTINE LUNDY
A. That's correct, yes.
Q. I wonder if that could be shown to the jury perhaps.
We have a smaller
5 version.
THE COURT ADDRESSES MR HISLOP QC – JURY COPIES (14:42:39)
CROSS-EXAMINATION CONTINUES: MR HISLOP QC
Q. Now I think we agreed that was the photo that you were
being referred
to, yes?
10 A. Yes, that's correct, yes.
Q. And there then follows questions about how large the
meal was and you
say, “In these two post-mortems,” sorry, this is a
question being put to
you. “In these two post-mortems both stomachs are quite
full and
contained a large meal which were quite identifiable as
to the contents,
15 especially potato chips and it's also distinctive in
the fact that you could
not smell gastric juices?” And you say, “No, I could not
smell gastric
juices.” And then it goes on, “In the absence of that
smell did that cause
you to signal an opinion at the time?” “Yes, just a
mixture that I was
correct in not detecting, not smelling any gastric juices
of which has the
20 smell of vomit,” and it goes on about gastric juices.
And then at 824 at
the bottom, “Now having observed that there was no
presence, and
that's presence of anything in the duodenum or no smell
of gastric
juices, did that assist you?” Line 28.
THE COURT:
25 Q. Just pause. Dr Pang have you got 824?
A. Yes.
Q. About four lines from the bottom.
CROSS-EXAMINATION CONTINUES: MR HISLOP QC
Q. I’ll put this to you again.
30 A. Yes, yes.
2120
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
Q. You're being asked about what you observed and the
question is, “Now
having observed that there was no presence, and the presence
is
referring to what’s in the duodenum or what wasn't in the
duodenum, or
no smell of gastric juices, did that assist you, and the
observation of the
state of the food particles in determining a time 5 of
death?” And you
said, “Yes it does.”?
1445
A. Mhm.
Q. And then it follows at 825, “And before we go onto
your determination,”
10 this is the learned prosecutor, “Is there any
limitation that you put on an
assessment of the time of death in these circumstances?”
And you say,
“In regard,” you, you ask the question, “In regard to
stomach contents?”
The prosecutor goes, “Yes.” And you say, “Yes there are
factors would
affected digestive process in gastric emptying.” And the
prosecutor
15 says, “Pardon, just repeat that please?” “There are
factors that can alter
a timing of gastric emptying and the digestive process.”
And the learned
prosecutor asks you, “Can you very slowly take us through
the factors
that affect gastric emptying?” And you say, “And the most
important
one is stress; physical, mental, emotional stress, may
alter the timing. It
20 would delay the emptying of the stomach as well as the
digestive
process.” And you go on and the prosecutor asks, “Well
and in the
circumstances such as Christine and Amber, is that a
factor that affects
the stomach emptying process?” And you say, “It might
have been a
factor but it would be fairly limited in that taking the
wounds of Christine
25 and Amber sustained, taking both the wounds that Christine
and Amber
sustained, yes, death would have followed very soon after
those
wounds were inflicted.” Then the prosecutor says, “So
death would
have been soon after that?” “Yes.” “To the extent that
psychological,
emotional stress or physical stress would affect gastric
emptying or
30 digestion, it would only be a matter of minutes to
alter the timing, at
most a few minutes.” And then the prosecutor goes, “At
most a few
minutes?” And you say, “That's right.” Now, you accept
that’s what you
were telling the Court?
A. That's correct, yes.
2121
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
Q. And that was some of the limitations that you've told
us about earlier,
when I asked you about the distinction between what you
are saying
now and what you were saying then, do you agree?
A. This limitation is specifically related to the
physical injuries sustained.
5 Q. Mmm.
A. And not to, necessarily to other factors.
Q. Well you seem to be saying there that the – any
psychological or stress
related delay in emptying of the stomach in this – on the
facts of this
case, is limited to a few minutes, that’s what you seem
to be saying,
10 yes?
A. At – this is really to, specifically only to the
physical injuries at the time
of the attack because death follow quite soon after the
injuries.
Q. Can I take you then back to line 23 of the same page
and we’ll read it
again.
15 THE COURT:
Just before you do, can you just again clarify please
what you say the doctor
said in 2002 and what you say he’s saying differently
today so, just we’ve lost
the context – too much reading kind of loses the context.
MR HISLOP QC
20 Sure. What the, what the doctor said back then was
time of death, one hour
after eating the meal. He refused to be pressed to one
hour 15. He said back
then there were a number of variables that affect gastric
emptying including
stress and psychological features but he said that they
were restricted to
matters of minutes. What he’s said today is that I can't
tell between one and
25 14 hours because there's too many variables and we’ll
get to how tight he was
on that in a moment. I’m sorry it’s taken so long.
1450
THE COURT:
Q. Well let's just get a general answer first. Doctor, do
you accept that the
30 general thrust of your evidence in 2002 was that the
time of death was
likely to be an hour after the meal was eaten?
2122
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
A. Yes an estimate at that time, yes.
Q. And do you accept that you are now not saying that?
A. That's correct, yes, Your Honour.
Q. So you accept that you have changed in that extent?
A. It's now I 5 would not give an estimate.
Q. Of the length of time after the meal was eaten?
A. That's correct.
CROSS-EXAMINATION CONTINUES: MR HISLOP QC
Q. Page 831 please, trial one transcript. 831 and it's
line 24. The learned
10 prosecutor puts the following to you, “So you were
left with determining
the time of death by reference to stomach contents?” And
your answer
is, “That is correct, yes.” And the learned prosecutor,
“And based on
your examination and your experience and your knowledge
what do you
say was the time of death by reference to the
consumption, that is the
15 ingestion of the meal?” And you say, “Taking into
consideration all the
factors I would estimate it be one hour,” do you agree
that’s what you
were saying then?
A. That's correct, yes.
Q. And then the learned Judge at that time intervenes and
he says, “One
20 hour after the ingestion?” And you say, “That is right
Your Honour.”
Then your evidence proceeds, learned prosecutor, “Did you
express
that view to the inquiry team at the conclusion of the
post-mortem?” “I
did, yes.” “In each case?” “Yes, that is correct.” Then
the learned
Judge, “So another way of putting it is that it takes
about an hour for the
25 digestive gastric juices to flow?” And your answer
was, “It would take
less than an hour.” So one hour’s the time bracket?” Your
answer,
“Within an hour, within an hour, yes.” Do you agree
that's the evidence
you gave back then?
A. Yes, that's correct.
30 Q. And at 838, and it's line 24, “Your opinion is that
a death occurred within
one hour of Amber and Christine eating their meal?” And
you say,
“That's correct.”
A. Yes.
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Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
Q. And the learned prosecutor says, “So if Christine and
Amber died at
10.30 pm you would say they ate at 9.30 pm?” “That would
be correct.”
And the learned prosecutor, “When you say one hour do you
accept that
there could be a margin of error in that?” And you say
this, “Arriving at
the conclusion of one hour I've allowed for 5 the factors
that may delay
gastric emptying.” Question, “Do you accept that there
could be a
margin of error in your estimation of one hour?” And you
say, “It will be,
it's possible to have a slight margin of error, as I said
yesterday, if there
is a struggle or emotional upset there may be a delay in
gastric
10 emptying but the extent of several minutes.” “So it
could be an hour
10?” And you say, “Possible.” And by the way, this is
cross-examination not my learned friend the prosecutor.
And then the
question is put to you by then defence counsel, “An hour
and
15 minutes?” And you say, “Arriving at the conclusion of
one hour I
15 would be quoting allowance for the margins or
different factors.” “So
you could say the margins is more than an hour, maybe up
to
10 minutes?” “It's possible, acceptable, but to stretch
it beyond I don't
know how far you can stretch the limits of the factors
because they
probably would require the expertise of a physiologist
rather than a
20 pathologist.” And then it goes on, “So you are
accepting that it could go
longer than an hour and a quarter in your opinion?” You
say this, “My
opinion is that probably one hour would allow for the
other factors in this
particular situation such as fatty food or some
psychological upset, but
we can stretch it to one hour and 15. It is in, within my
expertise to say
25 that.” So do you see you were saying, taking all the
variables into
consideration, “I could stretch it to one hour 15 post
eating,” that’s what
you were saying, do you agree?
1455
A. I was giving evidence as the pathologist but I would
say the range is to
30 be defined by a gastroenterologist who I knew at the
time would be
defining the range for me because I would say that I
would not be quite
up to date with the latest information of the range. So
the part I knew
would affect the delay is the delay following the
physical injuries, those
few minutes refer specifically only to the few minutes
after the
2124
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
sustaining, after sustaining injuries. So outside I would
referred, defer to
the opinion of a gastroenterologist which I knew at the
time would be
giving evidence.
Q. Dr Pang, what you said was this, “My opinion is that
probably one hour
would allow for the other factors in this 5 particular
situation, such as a
fatty meal, or some psychological upset, but we can
stretch it to
one hour and 15 minutes. It is within my expertise to say
that.”
A. Yeah, that part is, “within my expertise” is related
to the wounds
because I would say the wou – that following those wounds
they would
10 die within minutes.
Q. Dr Pang, in answer to His Honour’s questions a few
moments ago you
accepted that you'd changed your position?
A. That's correct, yes.
Q. When did you change your position?
15 A. When I give the evidence the last time I said I was
not giving evidence
as an expert in this area. The expert in the area will be
the
gastroenterologist so I’m (inaudible 14:57:52), trying to
define, to give a
limit of the factors I know, which is the physical injury
following the
attack.
20 Q. Okay, now can we start again and can I have an
answer to my question.
The learned Judge a moment ago established from you that
there was a
difference between your position back then, at trial one,
and your
position now and you accepted that that was so. Now I
want to know
when it was that you changed your mind. Now, first of
all, before you
25 answer that, do you understand the question?
A. I, I would think so, yes, yeah.
Q. All right, well can I have an answer please?
A. The answer to that is I gave an estimate at the
previous trial and the
present knowing the limitation of estimating the time of
death with
30 gastric contents would rather state the only certain
time I knew and that
death could have occurred is between the 14 hour bracket.
Q. Dr Pang, let us try again. When did you change your
mind? You told
the learned Judge you had changed your position?
A. Yes.
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Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
Q. I want to know when it was that you changed your
position?
A. I would think that’s after the Privy Council judgment
which you clarify
and emphasise the limitation which I already mentioned at
the first trial.
Q. Well you would agree with me wouldn’t you that there
is nowhere in any
of the material before the Privy Council that suggested 5
that it might take
some 14 hours and still someone has a full stomach.
That’s right isn't
it?
1500
A. They are just, because it's a biological process there
are a lot of
10 variables. In a normal subject it is unlikely but it
is giving an estimate
without know all the variables affecting any individuals.
So for the
majority of individuals that is correct but there is a
minority, maybe even
a significant minority when the situation could be
different. So to give an
answer that is certain I could only stay within the
normal time of that
15 14 hour bracket but that's different from giving an
estimate which I
already said will be imprecise because it's a biological
process, it's
subject to variables and I would defer to a physiologist,
a
gastroenterology to define that range and the limit at
the last trial. I did
not attempt to give a range or a time bracket myself
because it wasn't
20 my area of expertise.
Q. You told us a few moments ago that what changed your
mind caused
you to change your position is what occurred before the
Privy Council,
yes?
A. That's correct, yes.
25 Q. The affidavit of Professor Knight you've been asked
about, that was
before the Privy Council, yes?
A. That's correct, yes.
Q. And you read the contents of that, yes?
A. Yes.
30 Q. And that he, according to him, normal healthy adult
from time of eating
to emptying, having an empty stomach after a normal meal,
three to four
hours and then he stretches it to six as a limit, that's
what
Professor Knight says, yes?
A. Yes.
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Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
Q. So that can't have changed your mind about one to 14
hours delay, can
it?
A. Not on that basis, no.
Q. Professor Paul Ciclitira, his affidavit put the limit
of about just six or just
over six hours eating to empty 5 stomach, do you agree?
A. Yes.
Q. Can't have been his affidavit that made you change
your mind, could it?
A. No.
Q. Professor Diamant? Paragraph 196 I think it is of
Truscott he refers to,
10 referred to in Bernard Knight’s affidavit. He again
postulates two to
three hours eating to emptying in a normal adult but
would be pushed to
six hours. That's right, isn't it?
A. That's correct, yes.
Q. So that can't have changed your mind to one to 14,
could it?
15 A. No.
Q. Tell me, who asked you to change your mind?
A. I’d – please, can I refer you to that affidavit that I
gave for the
Privy Council?
Q. In that affidavit you did not suggest one to 14 hours
or anything even
20 approaching it?
A. No but I quoted a paragraph from Professor Knight
which he stated, “In
the majority of individuals emptying of the stomach with
an average
meal is within three to four hours and is up to six hours
for a heavy
meal,” which is in fact the evidence I gave at the, the
first trial about,
25 specifically talking about an anaesthetic but he also
added a paragraph,
“That even though the greater majority of individuals
there’s a minority
when this limit, the time limit would not apply and this
could be even a
significant minority and therefore we cannot place an
estimate on such
shifting sand as stomach contents.” And that he say, the
thing I follow
30 on to be on the safe side was to not even estimate but
if you ask me
about the time that is certain that is a time bracket of
14 hours. So I
have not been talked into changing my mind by anyone.
1505
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Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
Q. Okay. We know, of course – tell me this, just
continuing as to the timing
of your change of position. You say it was after the
Privy Council.
A. Just about the time.
Q. Sorry, just about that time?
5 A. Yes, yes.
Q. Well I’ll tell you what, did you ring up London when
the revelation
dropped in your mind and said, “Look, hey, I got it
really wrong in the
first trial”? Did you contact anyone?
A. No I have not been in touch with anyone in London.
10 Q. Well what about the police or Crown law, did you go
to them and say,
“Look, I’m dreadfully sorry but having reflected on the,
what the
Privy Council have said, I think I got it wrong.” Did
you?
A. No I’ve not been in touch with anyone concerning this
case.
Q. Well tell me, see we know and the Judge – the jury
will find out in due
15 course, we didn't know until mid-January of this year
that the
prosecution changed their theory about when the time of
death was. It
used to be early.
A. Mhm.
Q. First trial.
20 A. Yes.
Q. And then it became late, second trial?
A. Yes, mmm.
Q. Now your – you've changed as well and what I want to
know is whether
that’s a coincidence or not?
25 A. It is not a coincident. I could refer you to a
printout I got from a east
Midland forensic pathology unit which I came across at
the time of
preparing my affidavit for the Privy Council and this
applies to forensic
pathology in general. If I may just read out a relevant
paragraph. Just,
“Although a number of investigative tools are available
to the pathologist
30 to assist in the consideration of this question, that
is the time since
death, it must be borne in mind that no matter which tool
is used the
opinion proffered is only an estimation. All that can be
said, with any
certainty, is that the deceased died sometime between the
last time that
they were seen alive and the time they were discovered.”
And on the
2128
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
basis of this I would say it’s not therefore safe to give
any estimate of
time to be, which may be misinterpreted as a time of any
accuracy or
certainty. So it is not following the prosecution’s case
which I am not
party to determine a time, changing of time from 7
o'clock to early
morning. There was – 5 I have no party in that area.
Q. Okay.
A. And I did not know of the change in time until I’d
read that in the media.
Q. Okay, well –
THE COURT:
10 Q. Can I just be clear here. As I’ve understood it
your one to 14 is;
one hour is gastric juices to kick in, 14 is the length
of time that elapsed
between the two periods when someone, or the last period
when
someone spoke to Mrs Lundy and when she was, her body was
discovered?
15 A. Except Your Honour, is the more between zero to 14 hours.
Q. Zero to 14 hours?
A. Yes.
Q. So the evidence that Mr Hislop is putting to you about
what, are they
gastroenterologists or –
20 MR HISLOP QC
Both, a mixture of both.
THE COURT:
Q. – are saying, are you disputing that?
A. Sorry, I –
25 Q. If they say, based on this case it couldn’t be more
than six hours after
food was eaten, are you disputing that as an expert or
not?
A. I’m not disputing that, I think it should apply to the
majority of individuals.
CROSS-EXAMINATION CONTINUES: MR HISLOP QC
Q. So you would accept in the majority of individuals it
takes, at the
30 outside, about six hours for the stomach to go from
full to empty?
2129
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
A. That's correct, yes.
Q. And to be fair on you that’s a view that you've held
for quite a long time
isn't it?
A. That's correct, yes.
5 1510
Q. Because I think it was in November, 30th of November
2010 you were in
correspondence with TVNZ about a certain TV programme and
you
were complaining because you thought that the broadcaster
had been
unfair and misleading?
10 A. That's correct yes.
Q. Okay. And the crucial issue in the, in that complaint
of yours – and what
I’m going to do is put a copy of it for – I’ve got a copy
of it here and we
have a copy for the Crown. We’ve got a copy for the
Court.
Your Honour it may assist the jury because there is a
little bit of material
15 that they have a copy to follow through. You will
recall that the
broadcaster, a Mr Bruce was opining a time of death about
2.00 am in
the morning –
A. That’s correct, yes.
Q. – that was his hypothesis?
20 A. That's correct yes.
Q. And it’s right, isn’t it, that you were essentially
saying in your complaint
that you didn’t accept that as a hypothesis at all, do
you agree, you were
disagreeing with him?
A. That's correct yes.
25 Q. And I think you set out the reasons why you
disagreed with him and you
said, “Yes,” and this is page 5, if you want to follow,
of your letter of the
30th of November 2010 and it’s almost half way down the page,
the last
sentence of the second paragraph on that page and you're
explaining,
“Yet at post-mortem the stomachs were full of food, it
was photographed
30 as undigested,” and that’s what you were talking about
Christine and
Amber Lundy, do you agree?
A. I beg your pardon, what page?
Q. I’m sorry, page 5.
A. Yes.
2130
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
Q. And it’s the second paragraph and it’s the last
sentence of that
paragraph.
A. Sorry...
Q. “Yet at post-mortem the stomachs were full and food
was photographed
as undigested.” 5 Then you go on, “So –
THE COURT ADDRESSES MR HISLOP QC – PAUSE (15:14:00)
THE COURT:
Q. So count in five pages from the front Dr Pang.
A. Yes.
10 Q. And you should have a page that starts, “There are
however significant
problems,” is the first line.
A. Yes thank you Your Honour.
Q. Got that – then go down, the second paragraph is, “Mr
Bruce,” and the
third is, “A routine day”?
15 A. Yes.
Q. Okay, just about “routine day” you're being read the
last two sentences,
“Yet at post-mortem...”?
A. Yes.
CROSS-EXAMINATION CONTINUES: MR HISLOP QC
20 Q. “Yet at post-mortem the stomachs were full and food
was photographed
as undigested.” So Mr Bruce’s assertion of 2.00 am or
3.00 am does
not work, do you see that?
A. Yes.
Q. And you were basing that assertion on that the six
hour outside limit
25 from eating to stomach empty, yes?
A. That's correct, yes.
1515
Q. And you go on and you start to provide reasons, other
reasons why
you're right and Mr Bruce has got it wrong. You say, “A
routine
30 day-to-day situation can help us understand the time
gastric emptying
takes. I gave evidence on this point at Court although Mr
Bruce did not
2131
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
make any mention of it in his programme. This is that
when patients
require a general anaesthetic for surgery to prevent
aspiration of
stomach contents which can cause morbidity and even
fatality, patients
are asked to fast, nil by mouth for a minimum of six
hours.” As an
example, an information sheet from the Royal 5 Free
Hospital and I think
you included that in your letter and you quote, “Having
nothing to eat for
a minimum of six hours before surgery in this way we can
assure that
your stomach is empty of all food.” And then you go on,
“This is also
pointed out in the text book edited by Jason Payne James
and Others,”
10 an you've referred to that in an appendix to your
letter, referred to the
above, “In normal individuals prior to upper
gastrointestinal endoscopy a
six hour nil per mouth period ensures that initially
every stomach is
empty irrespective of precise food type and that often a
four hour period
will ensure that the stomach is empty.” Now is that
something that you
15 have obtained from that text you refer to?
A. That's correct, yes.
Q. And you go on, “Doctors accept six hours is enough to
empty one’s
stomach for general anaesthetic and surgery in day-to-day
hospital
practices. Using the same six hour rule we can expect Christine
and
20 Amber’s stomachs to be empty by or before midnight
(six hours after
eating at 6.00 pm) empty enough to be safe for surgery.
And you go in,
“And probably earlier at 10.00 pm if we apply Dr Knight’s
two to four
hours for most people and often a four hour period will
ensure the
stomach is empty.” And this is you quoting from this
textbook that your
25 referring the Chief Executive to the TVNZ to, is that
right?
A. That's correct, yes.
Q. And then you say, “The demonstration of significant
stomach contents at
Christine and Amber’s post-mortem therefore makes Mr
Bruce’s
assertion of death at 2.00 am or even 3.00 am quite
wrong.” Do you
30 agree that's what you were saying then?
A. That's correct, yes.
Q. And do you agree, are you saying that that is still
right today?
A. That is correct for the majority of individuals.
2132
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
Q. And then you go on, “Therefore the thesis of Mr
Bruce’s presentation
and assertion that murders occurred at 2.00 am is
inaccurate, it is
misleading to the viewers,” yes?
A. Yes, that's correct.
Q. And you go on at the last page of that 5 letter, “Mr
Bruce’s solution which
is that the murders took place at 2.00 am simply does not
work,” yes?
A. Yes, correct, yes.
Q. And that was your view then and that's your view now,
is that right?
A. That's my view now for the majority of individuals.
10 Q. Among the reports that you doubtless have read is a
report of the
12th of February 2015 from a Professor Horowitz. Have you
seen that
report?
A. No I haven't.
MR HISLOP QC ADDRESSES THE COURT – EARLY ADJOURNMENT
15 COURT ADJOURNS: 3.19 PM
2133
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
COURT RESUMES: 3.41 PM
CROSS-EXAMINATION CONTINUES: MR HISLOP QC
Q. Dr Pang, over the short adjournment have you had an
opportunity to
look at the report dated the 12th of 5 February of this
year by
Professor Michael Horowitz?
A. Yes I have.
Q. You would agree wouldn’t you that he is very well respected
in this
particular area?
10 A. Yes, correct, yes.
Q. You will see that it’s his view that your observations
that no gastric
emptying had commenced was really the crucial point in
the case of
Christine and Amber Lundy?
A. That's correct, yes.
15 Q. And indeed I think that was, in fairness to you,
your position for a very
long time, yes?
A. It was my position beforehand, that is still my
position now.
Q. And because Professor Horowitz says that generally
trying to determine
time of death by gastric contents is by and large
unreliable. That’s his
20 first premise isn't it?
A. That's correct, yes.
Q. But he says, doesn’t he, that this case presents a
circumstance where it
can be reliable if you were accurate in your findings
that the digestive
process had not started, do you agree?
25 A. Yes, yes, that's correct.
Q. That's correct. And so, in essence he says, if Dr
Pang’s right in his
observations, what he could and couldn’t see in the small
intestine, if
he’s accurate then I can determine time of death in the
order of about
two hours. That’s what Professor Horowitz is saying?
30 A. That's correct, yes.
Q. And do you agree with that? Do you agree with that?
A. I’d agree that apply to the majority of individuals.
2134
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
Q. Yeah, okay, that’s fair. And he goes on, in his final
conclusion, “For
death to have occurred after 2.00 am in the morning the
meals could not
have been consumed any earlier than midnight, ie, more
than six hours
after their purchase.” Do you agree with that?
A. 5 Yes I agree with that, yes.
Q. On the topic of in the majority of cases, he makes the
point that because
we have two stomachs to consider in this case, somewhat
unusually, we
don’t have the normal difficulties with the differing
factors that might
attach to determining time of death, do you agree with
him?
10 1545
A. Yes, that was in fact the evidence I gave at the first
trial.wo hours. That’s what Professor Horowitz is saying?
30 A. That's correct, yes.
Q. And do you agree with that? Do you agree with that?
A. I’d agree that apply to the majority of individuals.
2134
Q v M LUNDY – CRI-2001-054-832244 (09 February 2015)
Q. Yeah, okay, that’s fair. And he goes on, in his final
conclusion, “For
death to have occurred after 2.00 am in the morning the
meals could not
have been consumed any earlier than midnight, ie, more
than six hours
after their purchase.” Do you agree with that?
A. 5 Yes I agree with that, yes.
Q. On the topic of in the majority of cases, he makes the
point that because
we have two stomachs to consider in this case, somewhat
unusually, we
don’t have the normal difficulties with the differing
factors that might
attach to determining time of death, do you agree with
him?
10 1545
A. Yes, that was in fact the evidence I gave at the first
trial.
The summary of Pang's evidence and correspondence:
ReplyDelete2001 Christine and Amber were killed at 7pm but no later than 7.15pm (first trial.)
2010 to TVNZ by letter they could not have been killed at 2am
2015 they could have died between 7pm to beyond 3am the next morning (this despite the agreed point that the stomach empties in 6 hours - yet they had full stomachs at 3am indicating they'd eaten after midnight.)
I suppose that only leaves that they could have been killed after they died.