Medical Evidence for the Defence in Homicide Trials

Abstract

The legal system for the investigation of major crime appears to be rather loose, in that there are no specific statutory provisions available to a defendant to present his or her case properly and adequately in court. There are no guidelines issued to the coroners nor are there any legal powers available to them to facilitate and authorize post-mortem examinations on behalf of the defence. This paper focuses attention on this legal dilemma, and attempts to suggest possible remedies.