Monrovia – Dr. Rockefeller Cooper, the Forensic Consultant contracted by the family of the late Odell P. Sherman and some concern Liberians in and out of the country, has asked the Government of Liberia to allow him get the toxicology specimens and samples of forensic concerns since he would not be allowed to perform the autopsy.
Solicitor General of the Republic of Liberia, Sayma Syrenius Cephus, while addressing a press conference at the Ministry of Information, claimed that he [Rockefeller] does not have the requisite credentials to carry out an autopsy.
Cllr. Cephus referenced the role of Rockefeller as a paralegal who assists lawyers in legal proceeding but is not licensed to practice law.
“There is a fellow Rockefeller who is claiming to be a Pathologist and he hasn’t presented any documentation to prove his claims.”
Dr. Cooper who walked into the offices of FrontPageAfrica to respond to the Cllr. Cephus said, “I have not had an interaction of any form with him; so basically the issue regarding document, I have submitted documents to the Liberian Medical and Dental Council,” he stressed.
According to Cooper, he has submitted to the LMBC a letter of attestation which proves that he did complete his medical studies at the Winter University School of Medicine. He added that his actual Diploma wasn’t submitted because he has not met some financial obligation to the school which has to be fully cleared before his diploma is released.
“I was not fortunate like other medical students in Liberia, who went to A.M Doglotti School of Medicine for free. I went to school in the Caribbean and I had to pay,” Dr. Cooper said.
Chapter 7.4 of the Criminal Procedure Law of Liberia states: “The coroner may, if he is unable to ascertain the cause of death by preliminary examination, perform, if he is a competent medical practitioner, or authorize to be performed by a competent medical practitioner, an autopsy on the body of the deceased for the purpose of determining the cause and circumstances of death.
The death of Odell Sherman in late May 2019 following the completion of the high school regional exams has created suspicion and increased calls for the government to do more in curbing violence against women.
Many activists including feminist movements in Monrovia amplified calls for proper investigation into the circumstances leading to the demise of the Odell.
Police have earlier announced that they have spoken with many persons of interest but they were released to their lawyers. The police, however, said statements taken have not shown any link to the incident.
Rev. Giddings, the owner of the home where Odell reportedly went unconscious before her death, has since been declared a “person of interest” by the police although he has not been officially charged.
There were six others undergoing investigation including a man identified as Abraham, who reportedly helped to put the unconscious Odell in a vehicle to be taken to hospital.