A Guest Editorial By Rockefeller F. Cooper II, MD, MSc., MsP (FDI), F-IACME
FOCUSING ON THE forensic analysis of the mortal remains of the late Charloe Musu and sections of the crime scene at the residence of the Former Chief Justice of the Republic of Liberia, Cllr. Gloria Musu-Scott in addition to the press conference held by some family members on April 6, 2023, as they raised concerns based on their presence during the autopsy, it is my goal as an expert witness and professional in the field of Forensic Medicolegal Death Investigation to accomplish the following: questioning the possibility that an intruder was responsible for stabbing Charloe to death, based on the wound pattern analysis; discussing the bloodstain pattern in sections of the home as a means of providing an insight as to what may have happened, thus creating a path to address a lot of the what? When? Was? Were? Where? Who? And why? that may be in speculation; enable the Liberian society to have a clear understanding as to what really caused Charloe’s death.
AN EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT given by Mr. Alvin Gezzie stated that whiles indoors for the night, he heard neighbors screaming of armed robbers being in the community and thought they had been apprehended, only to find out the robbery was at the former Chief Justice’s residence, where they stabbed Charloe to death in the bathroom and then proceeded to Counselor Scott, who fended off the attack by using a “pepper-spray” in self-defense. Moments later, it was in his car that Charloe finally “give up the ghost”, as she bled profusely whiles En route to the hospital.
ANOTHER EYEWITNESS BY the name of Lusine Sheriff stated that as part of the search party that responded to the said residence to help rescue the occupants and apprehend the robbers, they stumbled upon the gates and doors being locked. The Private security hired by Counselor Scott after two (2) previous robbery attempts as alleged, stated that they could not open the gate for entry since the keys were in the home itself with Counselor Scott, meaning, the gate could only be opened by occupants of the residence. As a result, he and others entered the compound (more than likely by climbing over the fence) and searched the ceiling and the external part of the residence but saw no one [as in an armed robber(s)] and during that time, the occupants were in their respective rooms.
GIVEN THE EYEWITNESS accounts above, let us ask ourselves the following: was there any sign of a break-in on the night of February 22, 2023, especially with security on guard? As the gates and doors could only be opened by an occupant of the residence, at what time was the house opened for neighbors to make entry? Who were those that went into the home to check on the well-being of Justice Scott and her family? Who were those that took Charloe to Mr. Gezzie’s car and who accompanied him to the hospital? Was Mr. Gezzie’s car ever examined by the police? What time did Mr. Gezzie arrive at the Redemption Hospital with Charloe’s remains? What time was Charloe pronounced dead by staff at the body at Redemption Hospital? What action was taken by hospital staff on the body, though Charloe was pronounced dead? Where did the coroner (Mr. Abraham Ricks) do his initial examination of the deceased? Why did Coroner Ricks turn the body over to the family? Why did St. Moses Funeral Home take instructions from the GOL/MOJ not to allow access to the body which they did not deposit and had no custody of?