The Wrong Gun

possibilities. Blood was flowing from the wound, indicating the heart was pumping blood from the body; blood was seeping from the wound, indicating the heart had stopped but blood was still draining from the body; and blood was no longer flowing, draining or seeping at all, and the blood on the face was merely an indication that the body had been bleeding.”

Steve paused, looked over at Lieutenant Sanders, who was practically glowering on the witness stand. Steve smiled. “Now, which would you say that was?”

Lieutenant Sanders took a breath. His effort to keep the irritation out of his voice was only partly successful. “The blood was not flowing and the heart was not pumping,” he said. “The blood was either seeping very slowly from a dead body, or had very recently stopped seeping from a dead body. You can split hairs any way you like, but I can’t give it to you any better than that.”

Steve smiled. “That will do quite nicely, lieutenant. And what time was it when you found the body?”

“Approximately six o’clock.”

“Would that be approximately fifteen minutes before the medical examiner arrived?”

“That’s right.”

“Thank you, lieutenant. That’s all.”

When Vaulding announced he had no questions on redirect, Judge Hendrick took note of the time and adjourned court for the afternoon.

27

When court reconvened the next morning, Vaulding called Fred Blessing, a chubby man with twinkling eyes who looked like a vaudeville comedian, but who turned out to be the medical examiner. Blessing testified to arriving at the Timberlaine mansion and examining the body of the deceased.

“And what time was it when you arrived?”

“Six-fifteen.”

“Exactly?”

“I arrived at the mansion at six-thirteen. I was at the scene of the crime by six-fifteen.”

“And what did you find?”

“I found the body of a man lying face up on the floor.”

“What did you do?”

“I immediately examined the body for signs of life.”

“Were there any?”

“There were none.”

“The man was dead?”

“Yes, he was.”

“Could you tell how long he had been dead?”

“Obviously, not for very long. The body was still warm.”

“Did you make any attempt to pin down the time of death?”

“Naturally. What I just gave you was my initial impression based on a preliminary examination of the body. Of course I made a more detailed inspection later on.”

“How much later on?”

“If I could consult my notes?”

“Please do.”

Dr. Blessing reached into his jacket pocket, took out a notebook. He thumbed through it. “Actually, not that much later. I have a note here that I took the body temperature at six twenty-one.”

“Before the body was removed to the morgue for your autopsy?”

“Absolutely. Body temperature is generally the most accurate means of determining time of death. It should always be taken as soon as possible.”

“And your records indicate you took it at six twenty-one on the evening of the murder?”

“That is correct.”

“From this were you able to more accurately determine the time of death?”

“Yes, I was. I would put the time of death between four o’clock and five-thirty on the afternoon of the murder.”

Vaulding nodded. “Very good, doctor. And did you also determine the cause of death?”

“Not at the time. My preliminary indication was that the man had met his death due to a wound in the forehead, but I could not verify that until I did my autopsy.”

“I understand,” Vaulding said. “But when you did, what was the result?”

“I found that the man had died from a bullet wound to the head.”

“A single bullet?”

“That is correct.”

“The bullet was the sole cause of death?”

“To the best I could determine.”

“Was the bullet wound sufficient to have caused death?”

“Oh, yes. The bullet had penetrated the forehead and lodged in the brain, causing extensive cerebral damage. It would be extraordinary to find any sign of life under those circumstances.”

“And there was none?”

“No. As I’ve stated before, the man was dead.”

“And death was caused by the bullet you found lodged in the brain?”

“That is correct.”

“Did you remove that bullet from the brain, doctor?”

“Yes, I did.”

With a flourish Vaulding strode back to the prosecution table, opened his briefcase, pulled out a plastic bag and held it up. “Your Honor, I ask that this be marked for identification as People’s Exhibit Number One.”

After the court reporter had marked the exhibit, Vaulding took the plastic bag and handed it to Dr. Blessing. “Doctor, I hand you this plastic bag marked for identification People’s Exhibit Number One and ask you if you recognize the contents.”

“Yes, I do.”

“What is it?”

“It is the bullet I removed from the head of the victim.”

“How do you recognize it?”

Dr. Blessing pointed. “By my initials, which I scratched on the base of the bullet.”

“And this is the bullet that your examination determined to be the sole cause of death?”

“That is correct.”

Vaulding smiled. “Thank you. Your witness.”

Steve Winslow stood up. “Six twenty-one, doctor?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“You took the body temperature at six twenty-one?”

Dr. Blessing referred to his notes. “That is correct.”

“And what was it?”

“I beg your pardon?”

“What was the body temperature at six twenty-one?”

Again Blessing consulted his notes. “Ninety-six point six.”

“Ninety-six point six? That’s two degrees cooler than normal, isn’t it?”

“Yes, it is.”

“Now, tell me, doctor, what is the normal rate of cooling of a body after death?”

“It’s approximately one and a half degrees Fahrenheit per hour.”

“Let’s do the math. You say the body had cooled two degrees. One and a half degrees would be one hour.