Plancher Trial Day 4: Cardiologist Says "Sickle Cell Trait" Killed Plancher

((HT: Orlando Sentinel, Limon))

A cardiologist and expert in sudden deaths testified that Ereck Plancher died from complications of sickle cell trait and could not have died from a heart problem.

Dr. Barry J. Maron said that there is no evidence that a cardiac problem killed the 19-year-old after a preseason workout.

Attorneys for the UCF Athletics Association are arguing that the undetected heart problem, fibromuscular dysplasia, caused Plancher's death on March 18, 2008. Attorneys for Plancher's parents say the athletics association is responsible for his death, thus the wrongful death suit...

"The death event is not only sudden, it's virtually instantaneous or within a few seconds because it's due to an arrhythmia," Maron said in testimony. "… [It] ends life right then. That's how it works."

Here's UCF spokesman Grant Heston on the day...
 

UCF Athletics Director Keith Tribble was also on the stand getting the standard amount of grilling from Plancher family attorney Steve Yerrid. They were the only two to testify on the day due to the contentious nature of the dueling legal teams.

Here's Yerrid's soundbite on the day...