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Hillsboro area doctor testifies in Widmer murder trial

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The defense counsel in the Ryan Widmer murder trial called an Emergency physician -  who works in several area hospitals, including Highland District Hospital in Hillsboro - to testify Tuesday.
This is the third murder trial for the Warren County man. Widmer is charged with murdering his wife, Sarah, in their Hamilton Township home in 2008. His conviction in the first trial was overturned due to juror misconduct. The second trial ended in a hung jury, according WCPO in Cincinnati. 
In day 12 of the trial Tuesday, Emergency physician Dr. David Smile testified that injuries to Sarah Widmer could have been caused by first-responders attempting to revive her.
"Smile works at several hospitals including Highland District Hospital in Hillsboro and Mercy Fairfield. He served as a consultant for the defense in the first two trials and testified in the second trial," WCPO reported on their website. "Dr. Smile discussed, with the aid of anatomy diagrams, the proper procedures for intubation and resuscitation. He noted that cartilage in the throat serves as a guideline for emergency responders in trying to open the airway for rescue breathing or intubation. He testified that, in his teaching of students and his own procedures in the emergency room, one must apply a good amount of pressure on the neck when trying to open an airway. This testimony goes in direct opposition to the testimony of Dr. William Rogers who testified for the prosecution. Dr. Rogers said it requires only light pressure and that bruising on Sarah did not come from the efforts of paramedics or EMT responders."
Fox 19 reported on Tuesday that, "Sarah Widmer had five intubation attempts the night she died before a successful attempt occurred when she got to the hospital. Smile also testified that it's 'possible' Sarah suffered a cardiac event, and there is nothing in her records that would cause him to rule out a cardiac event or a seizure. Also during cross examination, Smile admitted he could not give a diagnosis with any degree of medical certainty that Sarah suffered a cardiac or neurological event that caused her death."
The defense counsel in the Ryan Widmer murder trial called an Emergency physician -  who works in several area hospitals, including Highland District Hospital in Hillsboro - to testify Tuesday.
 
This is the third murder trial for the Warren County man. Widmer is charged with murdering his wife, Sarah, in their Hamilton Township home in 2008. Juror misconduct in the first trial led to the conviction being overturned, and the second trial ended in a hung jury, according WCPO in Cincinnati. 
 
In day 12 of the trial Tuesday, Emergency physician Dr. David Smile testified that injuries to Sarah Widmer could have been caused by first-responders attempting to revive her.
 
"Smile works at several hospitals including Highland District Hospital in Hillsboro and Mercy Fairfield. He served as a consultant for the defense in the first two trials and testified in the second trial," WCPO reported on their website. "Dr. Smile discussed, with the aid of anatomy diagrams, the proper procedures for intubation and resuscitation. He noted that cartilage in the throat serves as a guideline for emergency responders in trying to open the airway for rescue breathing or intubation. He testified that, in his teaching of students and his own procedures in the emergency room, one must apply a good amount of pressure on the neck when trying to open an airway. This testimony goes in direct opposition to the testimony of Dr. William Rogers who testified for the prosecution. Dr. Rogers said it requires only light pressure and that bruising on Sarah did not come from the efforts of paramedics or EMT responders."
 
Fox 19 reported on Tuesday that, "Sarah Widmer had five intubation attempts the night she died before a successful attempt occurred when she got to the hospital. Smile also testified that it's 'possible' Sarah suffered a cardiac event, and there is nothing in her records that would cause him to rule out a cardiac event or a seizure. Also during cross examination, Smile admitted he could not give a diagnosis with any degree of medical certainty that Sarah suffered a cardiac or neurological event that caused her death."
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