Home / Crime and Justice / Shaking Death Case: Appeal Questions Doctor's Testimony
Shaking Death Case: Appeal Questions Doctor's Testimony
16 Dec
Summary
- Father appeals conviction, challenging expert witness testimony.
- Expert's evidence in this case also criticized in Lucy Letby trial.
- New application argues expert acted outside his areas of expertise.
Philip Peace, convicted of murdering his five-month-old daughter Summer by shaking, is seeking to appeal his conviction. The appeal hinges on challenging the evidence provided by Dr. Dewi Evans, a retired pediatrician whose testimony has also faced criticism in the high-profile Lucy Letby case. Peace's new application to the Criminal Cases Review Commission argues that Dr. Evans provided evidence outside his specific areas of expertise during his trial.
Summer collapsed in September 2017, showing signs of being shaken, including brain and retinal hemorrhaging and rib fractures. Peace asserted the fractures resulted from CPR administered while awaiting an ambulance. However, Dr. Evans rejected this, suggesting the injuries were indicative of shaking. Furthermore, Dr. Evans disputed the defense's claim that pneumonia likely caused Summer's collapse, stating it likely developed in the hospital as she showed no prior symptoms.
Peace's legal challenge also targets the testimony of Prof. David Mangham, a bone pathologist, whose credibility has been questioned by high court judges. The appeal highlights concerns over the reliability of expert witnesses, especially when their evidence significantly influences convictions, and suggests a broader review of the expert witness system in the UK is needed.
