Findings in the medical report of some defendants in the December 18, 2024, burning of the Capitol Building, appear consistent with allegations of torture.
The reports, prepared by Dr. Philip Zochonis Ireland of AMI Hospital in Sinkor on September 16, 2024, documented evidence of “blunt trauma, irregular cardiac rhythm and psychological manifestations.”
These conditions, the doctor wrote, are “highly consistent with the allegation of torture and ill-treatment” under the Istanbul Protocol guidelines.
The medical findings became a crucial element in the ongoing case, after one of the lawyers for the defendants filed a petition of torture on his clients.
The lawyers earlier filed a motion to Criminal Court ‘A’ Judge Roosevelt Willie, to quash prosecution evidence, claiming it was obtained from the defendants through torture, while in custody at the National Security Agency (NSA). “The irregular cardiac rhythm, history of blunt trauma, and ongoing psychological manifestations, are highly consistent with the patients’ allegations of sustained torture and ill-treatment.” Dr. Ireland further recommended cardiology follow-up, orthopedic and ophthalmology reviews, and urgent psychological care for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). He also spoke of the need to preserve medical notes, and photographs for judicial or human rights proceedings. The court is yet to rule on the defense lawyers’ motion. For the second time, a choice for a local medical facility to conduct examinations on six of the detained accused in the Capitol arson case to determine whether they were subjected to ill treatment while in the custody of state security agencies has been rejected. Represented by their lawyers, the defendants, on Wednesday, September 10, objected to the selection of AMI Expeditionary Healthcare Medical Center. The rejection of a second court-mandated hospital, after they refused to accept Judge Willie’s request to use the John F. Kennedy Medical Center for the examination. The defense team’s argument of rejecting the court-mandated hospital was because, according to the lawyers, the AMI is an existing contract facility of government by and through the Ministry of Justice and the Liberia National Police (LNP). To prove this, the defense lawyers argued that when Co-defendant Thomas Etheridge was arrested, tortured and compelled to confess, he collapsed, and he was taken to AMI, where they determined that he collapsed due to malaria despite the torture and beating he received. They further argued AMI is the same as JFK and the defendants do not trust the integrity of the AMI Hospital.
Meanwhile, Judge Willie reserved his ruling.