Dennis Oland murder trial hears of challenges protecting bloody scene

The head of the Saint John Police Force's forensic unit testified Thursday at Dennis Oland's murder trial about the difficulties he faced in trying to preserve the bloodycrime scene, which several people entered, including a couple ofcivilians, fellowofficers, paramedics and funeral home employees.

Richard Oland suffered a "large amount of trauma" to his head and neck, said Sgt. Mark Smith.

The prominent businessman's bludgeoned body was found lying face down in a large pool of blood in his uptown investment firm office on July 7, 2011, around 9 a.m.

The Crown has said he was killed "in a rage," suffering 40 sharp and blunt force injuries to his head and neck and six defensive wounds to his hands. No weapon was ever found.

DennisOland, 47,who was the last known person to see his father alive at theofficethe night before,haspleaded not guilty to second-degree murder.

"There was a piece of skull in that area," said Smith, as heled the jury through some of the 119 photos of the crime scene submitted into evidence,and "what appears to be tissue and blood and hair on the back of his sweater."

• Live blog:Dennis Oland's second-degree murder trial: Oct. 1

There were also "hundreds of [blood]spatter stains radiating around the mainpool" of bloodonOland's desk,his computer, his lamp, his chair, some filing cabinets, and on an empty pizza box in the garbage can.

Smith said he was not an expert in blood spatter analysis at the time and the closest one available would have beenat the RCMPlab in Halifax. It was two days later when his supervisor told him one would be made available, he said.

He also notedtwo blood transfer stains on the floor, each measuring aboutaboutfourcentimetres by 1.5 centimetres, when he first entered the office around 10 a.m., but did not offer any theory or explanation as towho or what may have tracked that blood.

At least two civilians, two officers,a cadet in training and two paramedics had been in and out of the office by that point, the court has heard.

The civilians Oland's secretary, Maureen Adamson, who discovered the body,and Preston Chiasson, who was downstairs at the Printing Plus shop when Adamson came running in for help both previouslytestified they didn't go very farinto the office and carefully retraced their steps without touching anything.

Both officers said the same, although Const. Duane Squires later helped remove the body and wound up having to stand right in the pool of blood. He said hewas wearing gloves and protectivebooties at the time.

The then-cadet, Trinda (Fanjoy) McAlduff, said she did go "pretty far" into the office, but not to the point where she could have reached out and touched the body.

And paramedic Phil Comeau said he used his foot to touch Oland'sthigh to determine if rigor mortis had set in and his "whole body" moved, confirming it had.

Smith was not wearing any protective gear himself when he first entered the office, but heleft for about an hour to get some equipment from the police station and "suited up" in full protective gear, including a white coverall, gloves, booties and a mask.

The 27-year veteransaid he didn't leave any instructions about protecting the scene when he left, but he expectedit"would be maintained and nobody would go in" to minimize anycontamination anddestruction of possibleevidence.

When he returned at 11:20a.m, threeofficers were standing guard outside the office, he said.

Other officers were subsequently allowed to enter the office withoutprotective gear to observe the body, but under Smith's supervision and following thesame route he took, he said.

Smith moved Oland's bodyto check for a possible weapon, but only found the 69-year-old's eyeglasses underneath him.

He later helped plan the route for the funeral home employees to remove the body in a bid to minimize contamination of the scene.

"There was going to be some for sure," he said. "The scene too messy to avoid it."

Planned to test backdoor for evidence

Smith also testified about a door in the foyer outside Oland'ssecond-floor office that led to an alleyway out back, almost at ground level because the building is on a hill.

The defence team has suggested the door in question would have been the "preferred exit route" of the killersince it was the most "surreptitious."

He said he didn't touch the door because he wanted to swab the deadbolt and test for fingerprints.

But Const. Stephen Davidson, who had arrived at the scene before Smith, testified earlier Thursday that he had unlocked the door, looked outside and then locked it again.

Davidson also said hewent out the door into the alleywayto look around, but could notrecall if that was on July 7, or two days later when he returned to the crime scene.

One of the first officers to respond to the scene.Const. Don Shannon,previously testified that thedoor was closed when he arrived, but could not say if it was locked.

Other officers have previously testified that it waswide open laterthat day and remained open until atleast the following morning.

Lead investigator new to major crime unit

Davidson told the court hehad only joined the major crime unitthree days before Oland's death andended up taking charge of the case three months later when the lead investigator, Const. Rick Russell, retired.

He said he had been a police officer for about 12 years at that point, havingworked in uniformpatrol for about eight years, and then withthe RCMP's specialized integrated proceeds of crime unit in Moncton for about another four.

But July 4, 2011 was his first official day with Saint John's major crime unit, he said. On July 7, shortly after 9 a.m., he and another constable wereasked to respond to 52 Canterbury St., for a report of an unconscious male, not breathing.

He went mostly to observe his new unit in action, to "see how things work,"he said.

However, itquickly became an all-hands-on-deck situation due to the "suspicious" nature of the death and Davidsonwas thrust into the investigation.

Dennis Oland gave statement

He ended up being the one to notify the family and to interview Dennis Oland and his sister, Jacqueline Walsh, he said.

Police had no suspects at the time, or any ideas about a possible murder weapon,he said.

Davidson saidhe only went far enough into Richard Oland'sofficeto see his body lying face down in a pool of blood with "significant head trauma."

His focus was on the body, but he also noted a backpack on the floor, along with a set of keys and a folder that appeared to have fallen off the desk, scattering some papers, he said.

Davidson estimatedhe stayed in the Far End Corporation office less than a minute before retracing his steps without touching anything. He was not wearing any protective gear, such as latex gloves, or booties, he said.

Lead Crown prosecutor P.J. Veniot plans to recall Davidson later in the trial to ask himabout taking a statement from Dennis Oland.

The defence has chosen to wait until the end of Davidson's testimony to cross-examine him.

The trial resumeson Friday morning when Sgt. Mark Smith is expected to continue his testimony.