At the Polchies murder trial, testimony shifts to autopsy

Key takeaways:

• The jurors looked at photos of wads, cups, and pellets from shotgun shells collected during the autopsy.
• On July 29, 2019, Polchies was accused of shooting 19-year-old Sisson in Noonan, New Brunswick. 

The court heard Monday in the sixth week of Robby Polchies’ murder trial that the clothing confiscated during the autopsy of Corey Sisson’s body had two big holes in the front.

The jurors examined photographs taken during the autopsy, including wads, cups, and pellets from shotgun shells, as well as photos of clothing confiscated at the time.

On July 29, 2019, Polchies was accused of shooting 19-year-old Sisson in Noonan, New Brunswick. As a result, a man from the Kingsclear First Nation has been charged with murder in the first degree.

Jahradd Williams, Polchies’ girlfriend at the time, was said to have witnessed the alleged shooting. Polchies allegedly shot Sisson many times with a shotgun, according to her.

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Former RCMP Sgt. Jean Belliveau, the Crown’s first witness of the day, was there for the autopsy and told the court about the holes in the T-shirt.

Photographs were shown to the jury revealed a hole above the shirt’s collar and another around the stomach, below the chest.

Belliveau claimed he didn’t notice any holes in the back of the shirt, indicating no exit wound.

According to Belliveau, two shotgun wads and cups — pieces of a shotgun round — were discovered inside the body, indicating that the gun was discharged from close range.

At the autopsy, the T-shirt, shorts, Timberland shoes, a mismatched pair of socks, and roughly 30 shotgun pellets, were confiscated as evidence.

Hannah London, Sisson’s mother, had remained in the courtroom throughout the trial, but she left during Monday’s testimony, which recounted the awful condition of Sisson’s body when it was discovered.

On Aug. 11, 2019, an autopsy was done in Moncton, the day after Sisson’s body was discovered in Noonan and nearly two weeks after the alleged shooting.

According to earlier testimony from officers, Willams led police to the spot on Aug. 9. On the 10th, Sisson’s body was discovered.

According to retired RCMP forensic identification officer Steven Campbell, the body was in an “advanced state of decay,” who snapped images during the examination.

The T-shirt had no holes in the back, according to Campbell, who photographed it.

During cross evidence, defence counsel Brian Munro suggested that the shotgun wads and cups found within the body indicated the shots were fired at close range, and Campbell concurred.

“From what I’ve seen, they were fired into the body,” Campbell added.

“Do you believe the rifle made contact with Mr Sisson?” Munro explained.

Campbell stated that he had no idea.

Munro also inquired as to if the T-shirt had been checked for gunshot residue. Campbell stated that it was not the case.

The trial will resume on Tuesday.

Source: CBC News

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