Davie McTuff was enjoying a drink at “Tixi’s” on Main Street,
Anymajor City. It was a Saturday evening. At 11.30 pm the bar staff
called the police as a result of a disturbance breaking out. When
the police arrived they found the body of McTuff. The police
obtained the following three statements:

Statement of Davie McTuff’s Girlfriend (A)

“I was standing at the bar, next to my boyfriend, Davie McTuff.
This guy came across the room and pushed his way to the bar. He
bumped into Davie and spilt his drink. Davie was wearing a new
jacket – I’d bought it for his birthday, three days ago – and he
was annoyed that he’d got beer on it. It’ll make quite a stain.
Davie said something to the guy but I don’t know what he said
because he had his back to me. I reached out to hold Davie ‘cos I
didn’t want any trouble but the guy suddenly went ballistic. His
left hand had a knife in it – I could see it shining – and before
Davie could avoid it, the guy has slashed the side of his head and
the next thing I knew was that Davie was on the floor. I saw he was
bleeding from his belly and I think the guy must have stabbed him
there, too, with his knife. It all happened so quickly. I can’t
believe that we were just standing there chatting and Davie got
stabbed by a total stranger. I think the girl behind the bar called
the police and an ambulance”

Statement of the Accused (B)

“I had been at the bar ordering a round of drinks for the chaps
at the corner table. I couldn’t carry all the glasses so I’d left a
couple at the bar. I went back to get them but this guy and some
female were standing in front of them. I reached over the guy’s arm
and asked him to move slightly so I could get to my pint and my
mate’s pint. I thought he was going to move but then his girlfriend
must have pushed him because he came at me. We sort of collided and
he must have spilt his drink down his front. I got covered. I
thought he was going to attack me so I raised my left hand. I’d
been texting a pal about the football results and had my ‘phone in
my hand. Anway, I must have caught him on the side of the head –
didn’t mean to but his head came forward as I put up my arm to
protect myself. It broke the cover of my ‘phone. I think my wedding
ring might have caught him too – I had to push him away. I’ve no
idea why but he suddenly crumpled and fell. I think he landed on
his glass because he was bleeding profusely from his chest or
somewhere. I don’t know what happened to him – didn’t realise he
was so badly hurt until you guys told me. I asked the girl behind
the bar to call an ambulance. I don’t know who ‘phoned the
cops!”

Statement of a Witness (C)

“I don’t know how I can help really. I was sitting around a
table with some friends out on an office party. We had just noticed
some really fit bloke behind the bar so I turned round to get a
better look. This guy walked up to the bar and looked as if he was
trying to reach across and get his pint. It wasn’t that busy but
there was a couple standing where he’d placed his order. I’m not
really sure what happened next. I think the guy who was talking to
his girlfriend turned round and started to argue but I’ve no idea
why. I saw the other guy punch him in the stomach and, I think,
pick something off the bar and hit him on the side of his head too.
His hand was in the air and he was holding something. It was silver
so it might have been a knife I suppose. Must have been ‘cos there
was lots of blood everywhere. The guy suddenly fell over – probably
the punch to the stomach must have got him? There was beer
everywhere – he might have dropped his glass. Chaos. It was only
supposed to be a quiet night.”

The following plan indicates the positions of McTuff (X) and the
three witnesses immediately prior to the incident.

You are a police officer sitting in your patrol vehicle during a
“stake out”. You are growing increasingly tired of stale coffee and
donuts, so you start thinking about the autopsy being carried out
on McTuff. What injuries (name and describe), you ask yourself,
would one expect to find IF the versions of events presented in the
statements are true? To what extent might you expect the findings
at autopsy to confirm or deny any or all of these statements?