Body in septic tank trial
There were no signs of blood on a sledgehammer which was believed to have been used to inflict injuries on Igris Bob-Blackman, according to a report admitted as evidence yesterday in the trial of Desiree Jeffers, the woman accused of killing the former policeman.
Jeffers is on trial before Justice Dawn Gregory and a 12-member jury for the murder of Igris Bob-Blackman and hiding his body in a septic tank in 2011. She was forced to lead her defence after the judge overruled a no-case submission made by her attorney Peter Hugh on Tuesday.
The analyst’s report, which was admitted and marked as an exhibit in the trial and read by defence witness Steven Greaves, a police officer, indicated that there were no signs of the blood on a sledge hammer which was believed to have inflicted injury on Bob-Blackman.
The admission of the report was objected to by state attorney Natasha Backer, who stated that there were no laws which provided for such documents to be tendered.
Backer argued that the section of the law deals specifically with medical reports and not analyst’s reports, quoting Section 43 of the evidence act.
Her objection, however, was overruled by the judge and Greaves was allowed to read his evidence in the court.
He stated that there was indication of blood on the sledgehammer when he tested it. However, the entire metal surface of the hammer and the wooden area close to it were tested and the results turned out negative.
Backer questioned why the entire wooden surface of the hammer was not tested and Greaves responded by stating that he did not examine the rest of the surface because there were no visible signs of blood on the object.
The sledgehammer and the carpet which Bob-Blackman’s body was wrapped in were previously admitted as evidence by the state. The sledgehammer was discovered in Jeffers car a day after Bob-Blackman’s body was found.
Backer asked Greaves if he was aware that a cleaning agent bleach was able to remove the evidence of blood on an object and she suggested the possibility that the blood could have wiped off of the hammer. Greaves accepted that it was possible.
Leading her defence on Wednesday, Jeffers had denied murdering Bob- Blackman, while claiming that it was her “kindness” that caused her imprisonment so far. “I’m not responsible for Mr. Blackman demise. The kindness of my heart put me in this position for three years, five months,” she told the court after opting to give an unsworn statement.
The trial will continue on Monday with both the state and the defence giving their closing arguments.
