The household of a California lawyer who died during a trip to Mexico says an official post-mortem and a separate family-commissioned investigation problem the concept he died unintentionally.
Elliot Blair, who labored as a public defender in Orange County, California, died Jan. 14 at a resort in Rosarito Seashore, 32 miles south of San Diego within the Mexican state of Baja California. Colleagues and household stated he was there celebrating his one-year marriage ceremony anniversary.
Officers in Baja stated Blair, who was 33, appeared to have fallen from the third ground of the lodge and was lifeless when first responders arrived early that morning.
A Mexican state post-mortem circulated by the household lists Blair’s blood alcohol content material at .10, which in Baja in addition to the U.S. state of California is simply above the driving restrict of .08. It additionally mentions “aggravated murder” as a potential crime within the dying, though the doc has not been verified by the Baja California state lawyer normal.
Blair’s household has questioned the conclusion that his dying was the results of traumatic mind damage attributable to an unintended fall, and so they have employed a Santa Monica, California-based damage skilled, Dr. Rami Cannabis, to evaluation proof, household lawyer Case Barnett stated.
Moreover, a personal pathologist’s evaluation of Blair’s dying sought by his household has discovered that the lawyer suffered roughly 40 fractures to his cranium, Barnett stated by e mail.
The Orange County Register and its guardian firm, the Southern California Information Group, first reported information of the fractures and different proof probably inconsistent with an unintended dying willpower.
Blair’s widow, fellow Orange County public defender Kimberly Williams, instructed the publications the thought he might have been drunk is inconsistent together with his potential to drink and keep sharp. “I’ve by no means seen him stumble drunk,” she stated.
“A fall doesn’t make sense,” she stated.
She has stated a detective on the scene of the dying Jan. 14 instructed her Blair’s physique had proof of a gunshot wound, Barnett confirmed.
The doc stated to be a translation of the official post-mortem in Blair’s dying was forwarded to NBC Information by Barnett. It contains photographs of the physique that the household’s consultants say are inconsistent with an unintended fall.
The pictures depict scrapes and bruises on knees, left foot and left arm, the final of which Barnett stated could possibly be an indication of a defensive wound.
The Baja California state lawyer normal didn’t instantly reply to a request for remark.
In her first tv interview, Williams instructed ABC Information’ “Good Morning America” on Thursday somebody killed her husband.
She instructed the present the 2 had been stopped by police within the Rosarito space Jan. 13, shortly earlier than his dying early the subsequent morning, and had given the officers money in trade for his or her freedom.
“We had been each rattled,” Williams stated.
The officers alleged the car they had been in rolled by a cease signal, Williams stated. Blair stated the couple let officers know they had been staying at Las Rocas Resort and Spa after they requested, she stated.
The Justice in Mexico analysis venture, hosted by the College of San Diego, a Roman Catholic establishment, famous in a November report, “Public Security in Baja California,” that municipal police in Rosarito have lengthy been accused of corruption and colluding with drug cartels.
The pathologist report on Blair’s dying commissioned by his household was anticipated to be accomplished inside six weeks, Barnett stated.
Todd Miyazawa contributed.
