TNAG-1101-FCO40-1351-Legislation-on-homosexuality-in-Hong-Kong-including--Report--1981 — Page 323

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from the deceased with test samples fired from the revolver would express doubt

if there was any and, therefore, that their opinions concerning the weapon being

the one used to cause the wounds are completely acceptable.

I did not make any formal attempt to assess the range at which the shots were

fired in my examination of the clothing because, following much handling and the

passing of more than six months since the event, I would not be satisfied with

the reliability of any results. I am satisfied that the wounds and damage to the

pullover have an appearance of being consistent with shots fired in contact with,

or very close to the garment and body. I spent a great deal of time measuring the

locations and distances of holes in the clothing and comparing them with the stated

measured coordinates given in the Post Mortem Report. Using a life sized dummy

I attempted to reconstruct the direction and angles through the body. I

concluded that they were consistent with being self inflicted and that

all shots could have been fired from the right hand, using the

right index finger to operate the trigger.

all shots could have been fired form either hand using the thumb

to operate the trigger.

it is unlikely that the left hand was used with the left index

finger operating the trigger.

I had no strong conviction that favoured either of the first two options above.

Having assessed the line and direction of all shots through the body, I could

argue a case for almost any sequence of firing but in principle there is nothing

particularly contentious with the order offered in statements, sequentially 1 to 5

using the numbers used in the Post Mortem Report. Any of the possible orders

of firing won't strengthen or weaken the case, to any significant extent, of

firing by the deceased or another person.

I have not seen a plan of the room showing dimensions nor any measured data

to show the relative position of the two final resting points of the two bullets

which passed through the body and clothing and which marked the wall and lodged

in the drawer of the item of furniture. I have made estimates from the photographs

and from such measurements as are given, and conclude that I find no reason to believe that the two bullets which left the body and clothing could not have