“Dr. Stern,” the D.A. requested, “would you please tell the jury what you discovered when you examined the four teeth of exhibit P-2?”
“I took an impression of the teeth in the skull with a special dental-clay type of compound, and in lay terms had the impression solidified. However, as I mentioned, I don’t keep exemplars for all my patients, or my office shelves would be full of them. But I was able look at the x-rays I made of his mouth, which I had taken quite a few times since he became a patient. I reached my conclusion from the x-ray I had on record in my office. When inspecting it for the D.A. I almost collapsed. I was completely bewildered at this finding.”
“Objection, Your Honor,” yelled out defense attorney Jaxson. “No one asked him, nor does anyone care, if he was bewildered or almost collapsed.”
“Sustained. Dr. Stern, just answer the question and refrain from telling us about your emotions.”
Jaxson sat back down feeling somewhat empowered.
“I will rephrase the question, Your Honor,” the D.A. said. “Dr. Stern, would you please tell the jury what the results were when you compared Rabbi Bloom’s dental records to the teeth in the skull?”
“The x-rays that I interpreted showed that the teeth in the skull are an almost identical match to Rabbi Bloom’s teeth on that side of the lower jaw.”
“What do you mean almost identical?” she asked, not knowing what almost meant.
“What I meant to say is that I am ninety percent sure they were Rabbi’s Bloom’s teeth!”
“Why only ninety percent, Dr. Stern?”
“Because with the heat of the blaze and the discoloration that occurred to the teeth and remaining jawbone, I am almost certain but cannot guarantee it to be one hundred percent. Also, as I mentioned earlier, I don’t keep the exemplars of my patients’ teeth, which would give me an exact match if there was one.”
“So, in other words, to the best of your ability and expert knowledge, you have identified the skull as belonging to Rabbi Neil Robert Bloom, correct?”
“Correct, the dental imprints taken from the skull are essentially the same as shown in Rabbi Neil Bloom’s x-rays.”
“No more questions for this witness.”
“Let’s take a brief recess before we resume,” said the judge.
Twenty-Nine
“Does the defense wish to cross examine this witness?” asked the judge once the court reconvened.
“Yes, I do. Thank you, Your Honor,” said Defense Attorney Albert Jaxson.
Approaching Todd Stern, Jaxson began his questioning. “Mr. Stern, you stated that you detected three unusual circumstances which made you question the Rabbi’s authenticity. Correct?”
“I’ll answer that question, sir, but in the future please address me as Dr. Stern. The answer to your question is yes.”
“Of course, Dr. Stern, I apologize. Now, after twenty-two years, why would your good friend Rabbi Bloom, even under the most unusual circumstances, which this was not . . .”
“Objection,” the district attorney interrupted. “The defense has used improper characterization of the testimony.”
“Overruled.”
“Thank you, Your Honor,” said Jaxson. “Let me repeat the question. Dr. Stern, after twenty-two years, why would your good friend Rabbi Bloom give you the impression that he was someone else?”
“I can’t exactly say that I mistrusted the Rabbi, but two of the three issues I testified to before made me question if he was in his right state of mind.”
“Why only two of the issues made you question his state of mind and not all three?”
“Because the third was the birthmark I had seen, and that is not part of his state of mind,” he replied somewhat sarcastically.
“You testified to the prosecution that you were able to identify the teeth attached to the skull with ninety percent accuracy as those belonging to Rabbi Bloom. If everything were burnt to ashes, can you explain to the jury how you could identify the teeth and why they weren’t burnt to ashes too?”
“Yes, I can. I said that all the skin, and most of the bones except for some extremely small bone fragments, were burned beyond recognition, that’s how high the heat got due to the accelerant of gasoline poured over the body. Bones and teeth are made of a much stronger composition that requires much higher degrees of heat to burn. Crematoriums first crush bones and teeth before a cremation because the teeth are formulated from calcium phosphate and dentin, which we see as enamel. Bones, however, are made up of extraordinarily strong collagen and calcium phosphate, and even more difficult to burn.”
“How then were you able to identify the teeth?” Jaxson asked. “What happened to the upper teeth and the rest of the lower teeth of the jaw?”
“The cranium and the teeth were severely burned and smoke damaged, but luckily were not burned enough to turn into ashes because they lay above the most intense part of the fire. Forensics gave me this part of the head, and I was able to clearly examine the forehead and the bottom left of the teeth remaining in the jaw and compared them to the x-rays I kept of the Rabbi’s teeth.”
“Then why weren’t all of the teeth preserved, both the rest of the bottom and the top?”
“The other teeth fell out when the skin along with the gum tissue that holds the teeth was also burned, and therefore the other teeth in the jaw fell out. I don’t exactly know the answer to that question as to why some teeth are missing, but it is possible that perhaps he was first knocked unconscious by the murderer and fell against a hard object landing across the mouth, and that may have caused the loss of his teeth.”
“Objection, Your Honor, the witness is providing narrative to the question asked. I did not ask the witness to guess at anything. The witness is here to provide facts not to play guessing games.”
“Sustained,” said the judge. Turning to the people sitting to his left, he cautioned, “The jury is to disregard Dr. Stern’s guessing at answers.”
Jaxson felt his adrenalin kicking in and asked, “Dr. Stern, I
