July 29, 1994 - Part 4
July 29, 1994 - Part 4
(15:15:01) PBS funding credits (15:15:10) Whitewater title screen (15:15:23) Ken Bode and Nina Totenberg introduce and comment on day's hearing, they also interview JAMES HAMILTON - the Foster Family Attorney (15:23:10) Coverage resumes 77 AFTERNOON SESSION The CHAIRMAN. The Committee will come to order. Let me invite all those in the room to find their seating, and we will begin Let me introduce our afternoon panel, and then after I have done so, I will be asking you to all stand and take the oath, but we will do that after I have made these introductory remarks. We have with us Dr. James Beyer, Deputy Chief Medical Examiner for Northern Virginia, who performed the autopsy on Mr. Foster. Also we have two of the U.S. Park Police officers who investigated Mr. Foster's death. They are Sergeant Cheryl Braun and Investigator John Rolla. I appreciate your being here. My understanding is that you do not have opening statements, as such, and so we will move right into the discussion and the questioning But let me now ask you to stand and raise your right hand, Do you swear that the testi mony you are about to give is the truth the whole truth, and nothing but the truth, so help you, God? BRAuN. I do, Mr. ROLLA. Yes, I do. Dr. BEYER. I do. STATEMENT OF DR. JAMES BEYER, DEPUTY CHIEF MEDICAL EXAMINER FOR NORTHERN VIRGINIA; SERGEANT CHERYL BRAUN, U.S. PARK POLICE; AND INVESTIGATOR JOHN ROLLA, U.S. PARK POLICE The CHAIRMAN. Very good. Thank you. Be seated, Dr. Beyer, let me start with you, if I may. My understanding is that you, after your examination and the procedures you follow, concluded that Mr. Foster's death was a suicide, is that correct? Dr. BEYER. Yes, sir. The CHAIRMAN. Now, can you indicate how it was you were able to rule out any other cause of death and why you reached that conclusion, in terms of a short summary. Dr. BEYER. Mr. Foster had a perforating gunshot wound to the head with entrance in the mouth, exit in the back of the head. There was abundant powder debri's in the mouth at the entrance site. Therefore, I concluded that this was essentially a contact perforating gunshot wound consistent with being self- inflicted.