Forensic Experts Explain Cause of Death of Buckovici and Medosevici Victims

Stevo, Milosav, Marijan and Slavko Jovanovic have been charged with murdering an 86 year old woman and setting fire to her house in the village of Buckovici in the Cajnice area on June 4, 1992. The defendants were all members of the Third Podrinjska Light Infantry Brigade of the Bosnian Serb Army.

The defendants have also been charged with killing five Bosniak civilians in the village of Medosevici during the first half of July, 1992. Two civilians were killed with firearms. One was killed with a blow to the chest. The defendants then killed two children by locking them inside a house and setting it on fire.

Testifying at today’s hearing, court expert Cirhlaz said he was unable to determine the cause of death for victims Dzevla Medosevic, Ahmet Medosevic, and Aisa Popovic, due to the current condition of their remains.

Cirhlaz said he doesn’t exclude the possibility that the charred remains found in Aisa Popovic’s house in Buckovici belong to her. The incomplete remains of three members of the Medosevic family were found in Medosevici.

Cirhlaz was able to confirm that one of the victims, Kimeta Medosevic, was killed by a projectile.

Cirhlaz said the identification was conducted with the help of family members who were shown clothes and other objects. He said no DNA analysis had been conducted.

The prosecution invited court expert Vedo Tuco to testify at this hearing. On the basis of documentation prepared by Cihlarz, Tuco responded to questions related to the cause of death of the victims.

Tuco said the death of Kimeta Medosevic was caused by a projectile, and that chest injuries were observed on the body of Ahmet Medosevic.

“Such trauma could be caused by forceful blows. The blows must have been strong in order to cause such fractures. He must have been hit with a rather big object at least twice. It could be a rifle butt or a foot,” Tuco said.

He confirmed it was possible for the children’s remains to be completely burnt.

Responding to questions from the defense teams, Tuco said he didn’t see in the documentation that the children’s remains had been exhumed. He said he was sure the projectile injuries found on Kimeta Medosevic’s body were inflicted while she was still alive, as indicated by the characteristics of the fractures.

The prosecution invited Bosiljka Pljevaljcic to testify as its last witness. Pljevaljcic confirmed that her father-in-law, Slobodan, was murdered and burned in Buckovici in February 1993.

The prosecution and defense teams asked Pljevaljcic about her father-in-law’s brother, Petar, with whom she had sporadic contact. She said she hadn’t discussed Aisa Popovic’s death with him.

“I heard that Petar said he was in a cornfield and saw who killed my father-in-law. There’s no corn in February, so I thought he wasn’t telling the truth,” Pljevaljcic said.

The trial will continue on November 13. At the next hearing, the prosecution will present material evidence and the defense will show their evidence presentation plan.