456 / 494
455
14.72.
Supt. Brown-Ellis’ witness statement is a clear account of the
approach of the JCF to the treatment of deceased persons during the operation.
It is helpful to summarise Supt. Brown-Ellis’ activities on the days following the
operation.
25 May
14.73.
On her way to KPH to process 40 bodies allegedly killed by the
security forces, Supt. Brown-Ellis and others in her team met gunfire at Hanover
Street causing them to abort the visit to KPH.
26 May
14.74.
On Wednesday morning, the team was subdivided. Supt. Ezra
Stewart led one team to UHWI and Supt. Brown-Ellis led the other to KPH. Since
bodies had been transferred to Maddens, both teams assembled there at
10.00 a.m. They saw a number of unidentified bodies and decided to name the
particular operation as “Ground Zero”.
The Process towards Identification
14.75.
Supt. Stewart gave instructions that these bodies were to be
photographed and fingerprinted. Their clothing was removed and placed in
labeled bags.
14.76.
Notes were made of clothes, complexion, measurements,
approximate age and any distinguishing marks. Each body was assigned a
number pending identification (e.g. GZ1) and tagged. There were in excess of
40 bodies at Madden’s and the procedure continued until 5.00 p.m.
14.77.
At that time, information was received that bodies had been taken
to May Pen Cemetery where the Government’s pathologist was conducting
post
mortem
examinations. A team was sent from Madden’s to the Cemetery but