Former U. Virginia student George Huguely’s defense team opened its presentation yesterday afternoon by claiming ex-girlfriend Yeardley Love died from suffocating while lying face down on her pillow. The prosecution claims she died from blunt force trauma inflicted by Huguely.
Dr. Jan Leestma, a neuropathology expert who said he has examined more than 20 thousand brains in the course of his career, said the damage to Love’s brain did not follow the typical pattern of trauma injuries. Love’s autopsy revealed hemorrhages localized on the brain’s base, but Leestma said “trauma to the brain is like a virus that affects the whole brain…[so the injuries] must have another explanation that is more sensible.”
Leestma said “deprivation of oxygen and blood to the brain” caused Love’s death, and her hemorrhaging resulted from administration of CPR by medical technicians.
“We certainly know that when help arrived, this woman was without vital signs and CPR was instituted,” Leetsma said. “At that point the brain was not receiving blood flow and she was not breathing. Once blood flow to the brain ceases, restoration into an empty and damaged blood vessel system can result in hemorrhages.”
During cross-examination by Commonwealth’s Attorney Dave Chapman however, Leetsma could not cite any medical literature confirming CPR can cause contusions. He did argue that many medical studies prove restoring oxygen to the brain after circulation has stopped can cause damage. In this case, Leetsma said Love lost circulation after falling face down on her pillow.
Before Leetsma’ testimony, a toxicology expert testified for the defense and said Love was “clinically intoxicated” the night of her death.
Dr. Alphonse Polkis, another defense witness, said Love’s brain injury would not have caused her heart to slow and stop, to which Chapman responded “Well, then she must still be alive today,” sending murmurs through the quiet courtroom.
The prosecution rested its case at about 12:30 p.m. yesterday afternoon, allowing the defense to begin its case.
Yesterday morning, jurors heard testimonies during the prosecution’s case from Huguely’s teammates saying he had lied about his whereabouts on the night he allegedly killed Love.
Huguely’s roommate Kevin Carroll, a 2010 University graduate, said Huguely had returned home at about 12:15 a.m. May 3, and told Carroll he had been downstairs in teammate Chris Clements’ apartment with Clements and Will Bolton. Carroll then called Bolton, who testified he had been in his own apartment further down 14th St. and not in Huguely’s building.
Former lacrosse player Ken Clausen, a 2010 University graduate, said he was present at Huguely’s apartment that night when Huguely walked in with a “blank expression” on his face and sat down on the couch. Clausen asked Huguely what was the matter, but received no response.
“There was no doubt in my mind…there was a change in his demeanor” when Huguely re-entered the apartment, Clausen said.
Clausen also said that Huguely had been drunk to the point of being “belligerent” that night, so much so that Clausen and Carroll had discussed the possibility of an alcohol intervention.
“I think that the night of [Love’s death] Kevin and I discussed talking to him the next day [about his drinking],” Clausen said.
The prosecution also presented testimonies from three separate women who said they had received text messages from Huguely the day before Love’s death. Jurors viewed the transcript of one of these conversations. This evidence could contradict the defense’s claim in their opening arguments that Huguely wanted to renew his romantic relationship with Love, but its contents were withheld from the public.
— Mike Lang contributed to this article