Rohde’s advocate tries to explain away dead wife’s injuries

Jason Rohde allegedly grabbed his wife Susan by the neck and pulled her “out of his way”. The incident happened when she was trying to prevent him from going to an “after party”.

Rohde’s advocate‚ Graham van der Spuy‚ said this is one of many incidents that could have led to the injuries discovered in the autopsy.

The multimillionaire stands accused of murdering his wife‚ the mother of his three children‚ last year. His legal team insists that Susan committed suicide‚ but the state claims she was strangled and her suicide staged.

The couple were attending a work conference on the night of her death‚ and she allegedly refused to let Rohde go to a hotel room where his mistress and other guests were having drinks.

In court on Monday‚ Van der Spuy asked state pathologist Dr Deidre Abrahams about a “variety of incidences or occurrences which could have caused injuries to the deceased”.

Van der Spuy mentioned that Susan fell onto a small garden wall‚ and that Rohde and his friend Mark Thompson had attempted to resuscitate her.

Abrahams insisted that the injuries occurred prior to her death.

The trial continues.