Nov 21, 2007
Exorcism
case: Tempers flare between plaintiff's son and defence
lawyer
By Jermyn Chow
TEMPERS flared in court on Wednesday as Mr Jairaj Kumar Jeyabal,
the 27-year-old son of the woman at the centre of the Novena Church
'forced exorcism' lawsuit, locked horns with a defence lawyer who
accused him and his family members of telling 'a pack of
lies'.
Lawyer Anthony Lee, acting for three defendants, found it hard to
believe that Mr Jeyabal, a trainee teacher, with all his years of
education, had never heard the term 'exorcism' before the August
2004 incident at the church.
What does education have to do with the word 'exorcism', Mr Jeyabal
asked.
He shot back: 'Are they offering a subject called exorcism in
school?'
The heated exchange set the tone for the rest of Mr Lee's
cross-examination of Mr Jeyabal, whose snappy comebacks prompted
the lawyer to repeatedly remind him to stop arguing.
'Let me lay down the rules. I ask the questions. You are not to be
argumentative,' Mr Lee said at one point.
Mr Jeyabal's mother, Madam Amutha Valli Krishnan, has sued the
Redemptorist Order that runs the church, two priests and six
churchgoers, seeking compensation for the ordeal that so
traumatised her that she can't lead a normal life.
Earlier in the day, defence lawyer Darrell Low said it was
incredible how Mr Jeyabal, as Madam Valli's son who knows her well,
never saw the need to speak to her doctors to get sedatives after
the Aug 10 incident which allegedly left her traumatised.
His comeback: It is not his style.
'I have a different way of showing concern,' he retorted.
Justice Lee Seiu Kin also had some questions for Mr Jeyabal.
He asked the witness where and when he tried to call his father
while Madam Valli was allegedly forced into the exorcism.
He also wondered why Mr Jeyabal had not followed his sister,
Subashini, and mother into the toilet after the alleged
ritual.
On Tuesday, Mr Jeyabal had described the 'exorcism' as 'a wrestling
match' and called the priests 'thugs' and 'gangsters'.
The hearing continues on Thursday, when Madam Valli's taxi-driver
husband, Mr Suppiah Jeyabal, takes the stand.
