Heliodore Dulac's injuries were fatal

Heliodorus Dulac's injuries were fatal to him

Ian Belanger

Share November 11, 2020 9:10 p.m. Share Heliodore Dulac's injuries were fatal Heliodorus Dulac's injuries were fatal to him

Tommy Brochu La Tribune “I have often seen falls. When I opened the body bag, I had no doubts, it was not a fall. It is clearly someone who has been beaten. It was clear and clean, ”said forensic pathologist Yann Dazé, Wednesday morning, at the trial of Ian Bélanger for the second degree murder of Héliodore Dulac.

The forensic pathologist concludes that the victim's injuries led to her death. However, he adds a caveat: “On the other hand, these injuries, although severe and extensive, are not injuries that can lead to immediate death. For example, a projectile passing through the brain will kill. […] 42 stab wounds in the heart will kill. These are extreme traumas. Here, it is severe. Yes, I am convinced that these injuries resulted in the death, but could other things have come to play, come to modulate the death? Could anything have slowed down or accelerated the agony? “, Asked the forensic pathologist, listened to attentively by the members of the jury.

In his report presented to the jurors, Dr. Dazé notes several blunt wounds. In addition to two black eyes, the victim presented multiple fractures as well as several lacerations. Injuries to the arms and legs could represent defensive wounds. All of the injuries were caused while the victim was alive, the forensic pathologist also said. The exact time of death cannot be clearly established.

Toxicology

Throughout the autopsy, samples are taken for toxicological analysis. “I had the notion that Mr. Dulac was an addict. Obviously, it will interest me to know under the effect of what substance he was at the time of his death if he was under the effect of the substance. “

Indeed, Mr. Dulac was addicted to “alcohol, various drugs, and medications. Among other things, cocaine from TFMPP, which is a drug which has different effects, [which is] stimulating and which can have hallucinogenic effects ”.

“The mixture of alcohol and cocaine is not very good,” he continues. People can die from this kind of mixture. On the other hand, in pathology, before concluding that a person has died of a mixture of alcohol and cocaine, there must be no other more probable way of explaining the death. It is a diagnosis made by exclusion. It's totally unpredictable […] it can kill even at recreational concentration. “

“Could the state of his heart and the intoxication have contributed to his death?” Yes, it is a possibility. But that's only a possibility, I'm not sure about that. […] Even if that had contributed to his death, the contribution does not have a preponderant role. What killed Mr. Dulac was blunt polytrauma, ”explains Yann Dazé.

The poor heart condition of Héliodore Dulac was also mentioned, but this would not have played in the death of the septuagenarian, according to the doctor. The muscular dystrophy, from which the victim was affected, would have nothing to do with his death.

Injuries

Mr. Dulac's injuries are severe, reiterates the doctor. According to him, the victim was in agony. It is by analyzing Mr. Dulac's liver that the doctor can determine it. “[It may have lasted] several minutes, but more likely a few hours,” he said.

The 72-year-old man's nose was fractured, as were his jawbones, right and left cheekbones, the outer edges of his eye sockets and the temporal bone of the skull. He also broke his ribs and showed a severe laceration to his liver, among other things.

“In addition, there was blood infiltration in four places. Inside the skull, there was hemorrhage of the brain, “adds the doctor, not being able to establish the number of blows that Mr. Dulac received.

According to the doctor, Mr. Dulac could speak and see despite the injuries. The fractured pelvis did not prevent him from moving or moving his leg.

Doctor Dazé recalls that a fist or a foot can be a blunt object, just like a table or the ground.

“Is it correct to say that there was no indication that this person at this point was going to die in the next few minutes?” »Asks François Gauthier, defense lawyer.

“I agree, but I am a pathologist,” replies Dr. Dazé. My understanding of the possible consequences of what we see and what we don't see is not necessarily the same as the average person. For the profane outside eye, it was quite possible that we formed the opinion that this gentleman was not going to die. “

Recall that the 72-year-old man was found lifeless in June 2018 by a citizen who was touring for the annual voluntary contribution (CVA) in Milan.

Me François Gauthier and Me David Petranic are defending Ian Bélanger, while the criminal prosecution attorney, Me Geneviève Crépeau, is assisting Me Isabelle Dorion in the prosecution.