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Linden Commission of Inquiry…Shot victim says doctor misplaced medical report
A seamstress from the Mining Town of Linden testified, yesterday, that she was shot in the back with a live round during the protest that took place in the town on July 18. Subsequent to that, Janice Burgan, 61, told the Commission of Inquiry that she went to the Mackenzie Hospital where she had an X-ray.
That X-ray, she however claimed, could not be located when she asked the doctor to give her a copy to hand over to Attorney-at-law Nigel Hughes.
Janice Burgan
According to the woman, on the night of the shooting, a particular doctor tended to her and it was her understanding that the doctor subsequently proceeded on leave and another took over. She said the subsequent doctor had written up another medical report and handed her, but she alleged that the medical report did not reflect the truthfulness of her injuries.
Burgan claimed that in her initial medical examination, the doctor told her that she was shot with a live round and a foreign object was lodged in her body. The second doctor, she said, told her that there was nothing in her body and that her initial report was misplaced. She said she was later told that it was “mixed up during the night of the shooting.”
The members of the Commission of Inquiry however claimed that the woman’s testimony on that issue was not relevant and credible since the presented medical report on the woman’s injuries reflected nothing about her being shot with a live round and about a foreign object being lodged in her body. They concluded that her testimony was in direct conflict with the doctor’s report and that the commission would adhere to the doctor’s findings since he is the expert.
The commission agreed that the two doctors would have to make themselves available to answer questions on the medical reports.
Burgan testified that Ivan Lewis, one of those killed during the Linden protest, fell about three feet in front of her while demonstrators ran from police officers who fired tear smoke at them. The woman said she did not see the police shoot, but heard gunfire while running.
Burgan claimed that on July 18, around 09:30hours she left her home to join protestors on the Mackenzie Bridge; the place where she said persons congregated to move to the Toucan Call Centre. The woman alleged that around noon a police squad came and asked persons to disperse and go home. She said the crowd began to advance toward the police and they went away.
Late in the afternoon Burgan said several police officers returned to the bridge and she heard persons saying, “The police are coming.” Burgan said she was not on the bridge when a smoke canister was fired and dropped two feet in front of her.
The 61-year-old said she began to run after the smoke began to burn her eyes. Subsequently, the woman said she heard gunfire and while running, a man fell right in front of her.
At the time Burgan, said that she did not know the man but later learnt that his name was Ivan Lewis. The man was bleeding through his mouth, Burgan said. She testified that she stopped to watch him and after a man approached her and identified himself as a staffer from the community’s hospital the woman said that she continued running towards the Linmine Secretariat.
While there, Burgan said that she felt a burning sensation in her back and informed her friend that she was hit. She said she was subsequently taken to the hospital but only realized that while receiving treatment.
Burgan said it took two weeks for her wound to heal while she spent four days hospitalized.
Burgan also testified that she helped place a piece of “old iron” to block the road. Questions from Attorney for the police, Peter Hugh, said that Burgan assisted a gentleman who she said was having a hard time moving the metal by himself.
Prior to Burgan’s testimony, Vladamir Glasgow completed his evidence in the morning hours. He was the videographer who was hired to shoot videos of the procession in Linden. The videographer was grilled by lawyer Latchmie Rahamat who is representing persons whose property would have been damaged during the uproar in Linden.
She pressed to know from the man whether he saw persons blocking the bridge and damaging property while videoing. Glasgow said that he was not focused on those issues since the shooting, and he was not aware of the origin of the fires which were shown on his videos.
It was however shown via the recording, persons using logs and other items to block the roadway immediately after the shooting on the Bridge.
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