A junior doctor in Perth, Australia, has been charged with manslaughter after he allegedly placed a 63-year-old man in a chokehold, causing him to lose consciousness and later die. The incident occurred early Saturday morning when the doctor, Christian Jack Joseph, 26, and a friend returned to a home in South Terrace.
According to reports, Joseph and his friend found the older man peering through a window of the residence. They reportedly yelled and chased the man, at which point Joseph is accused of restraining him with a chokehold. When the 63-year-old became unconscious, Joseph began performing CPR and instructed his friend to call emergency services. The man was transported to Fiona Stanley Hospital, where he was pronounced dead.
Joseph, who works as a junior doctor at Sir Charles Gairdner Hospital, was arrested and subsequently charged. He appeared in Perth Magistrates Court on Sunday wearing a blue forensics jumpsuit. His legal representation stated that Joseph acted in self-defense, claiming he felt intimidated by the older man's actions. The defense also noted that it remains unclear how the man became unconscious so quickly.
The court was informed that the alleged incident was out of character for Joseph, who is described as dedicated to saving lives. Prosecutors acknowledged that the 63-year-old man's reason for being at the window is not yet clear and that CCTV footage of the event exists.
The magistrate denied a request to suppress Joseph's name from media reports, stating there were insufficient grounds for the suppression. The charge is considered too serious to grant bail. Joseph is scheduled to appear next in Stirling Gardens Magistrates Court on August 5.