A crime scene technician had to explain to the Supreme Court Monday why he indicated on a report that 11-year-old Marco Archer, who went missing nearly two years ago, was murdered.
Bruce Chisholm, a police officer of 19 years, was in the hot seat Monday during the Khofe Goodman murder trial.
Goodman is accused of killing Archer. He has pleaded not guilty to the charge.
Archer mysteriously vanished after leaving his Brougham Street home to buy candy.
An unidentified male’s decomposing body was later discovered in bushes behind a Cable Beach condo complex on September 28.
Defence attorney Geoffrey Farquharson took Mr. Chisholm to task over a report he wrote after witnessing a post mortem examination on an unknown male in 2011.
Dr. Caryn Sands performed the autopsy on September 29.
Mr. Chisholm noted that when he took certain items to the crime lab he indicated that the deceased was an “unknown male.”
However, in his report he said in the subject line: Marco Archer Murder.
Mr. Farquharson noted that there was no evidence at that stage to suggest that Archer had been murdered as police were only investigating his disappearance.
“How could you conduct a murder inquiry for someone who had not been murdered,” Mr. Farquharson asked.
He then asked Mr. Chisholm what evidence he had on September 30, 2011 to suggest that the pre-teen was murdered.
The witness told the court that he was going off of the fact that Archer was missing and an investigation was being conducted.
The witness then said the request form listed the deceased as an unknown male, but he said he adjusted the report on the basis of the investigation being conducted.
Mr. Farquharson then suggested that the witness jumped to conclusions.
The witness also denied that he personally discovered the identity of the body he witnessed in the post mortem exam.
Supreme Court Justice Bernard Turner is presiding over the trial.
Deputy Director of Public Prosecution, Garvin Gaskin is the lead prosecutor. He is assisted by Neil Braithwaite and Darrell Taylor.
