A man allegedly killed at a drink fuelled party may have died from a cocaine overdose, a lawyer has claimed.
Lodging a bail application at Craigavon Magistrates Court where 37-year-old John McComb appeared by videolink, defence barrister David McGeown said a question mark had been raised over the cause of Paul Curran's death which was "completely at odds".
Giving evidence to the court, a police detective confirmed that State Pathologist Prof Jack Crane had gave a verbal indication the death last March was caused by swelling of the brain which was likely to have been caused by blunt force trauma but that he said a possibility was that the swelling could have been as a result of a cocaine overdose.
She added however the pathologist had raised that "as a possibility" while he was waiting for a toxicology report from blood samples and to discuss the case with a neuropathologist.
McComb, from Woodville Street in Lurgan, is accused of the manslaughter of Paul Gerard Curran on March 9 this year.
The body of the 29-year-old was discovered when paramedics were called to Manor Drive in Lurgan on Thursday afternoon.
When McComb first appeared on the charge, the court heard it is the police case that Mr Curran died as a result of a brain injury sustained when McComb allegedly punched him in the head but defence solicitor Gabriel Ingram contended there was a doubt over how the injury was caused.
He said that Mr Curran had been assaulted the day before and had been so intoxicated he was "falling about he place" so could have injured himself a different way.
Today the court heard the report on the toxicology results is due next week but that it could take up to two months for Prof. Crane to have a consultation with a consultant neuropathologist.
Refusing the bail application District Judge Bernie Kelly said the toxicology report was important because while there maybe an "absence of injury to the head...if the result of the brain tissue itself supports blunt trauma, despite a lack of injury, then that would rule that conclusion [of an overdose] out."
Remanding McComb into custody to appear again on June 23, she added it would be "helpful" as well if Prof. Crane and the neuropathologist could have their meeting sooner.
