VR first set for inquest storm

Virtual reality technology may be used for the first time in the SAR's court trials to simulate events during the inquest into the death of student Alex Chow Tsz-lok, who fell from a Tseung Kwan O car park on November 4.

More than 60 witnesses will be summoned for the jury inquest before coroner David Ko Wai-hung, which is tentatively set for November 16 to December 18.

A pre-inquest review was convened yesterday into Chow's death, which came four days after the 22-year-old suffered severe brain injury from his fall.

Chow, a year two computer science undergraduate student at the University of Science and Technology, fell from the Sheung Tak car park, near where a clash between protesters and police was ongoing.

Chow's involvement in the clashes, the reason he was at the car park and the cause of his fall remain unclear.

Ko also presided over the inquest into the death of Chan Yin-lam -the 15-year-old student whose naked body was found in the waters off Yau Tong last September. A jury returned an open verdict on her death on Friday.

The five-strong jury in the Chow inquest will hear from more than 60 witnesses, including eyewitnesses, police officers, firefighters, forensic experts and doctors. They will also examine security camera footage, according to sources.

Yesterday's hearing, which mainly handled timetables and identified issues that may be raised in the court inquiry, was held behind closed doors. Sources said Chow's parents agreed to the inquest into their son's death.

The court is looking into using VR technology to reconstruct footage from security cameras to save time from doing an on-site investigation.

Further testing of the equipment is still required, but if successful, then it will be the first time such technology is used in a trial in the SAR.

Police have been listed as an interested party in the inquiry, but their legal representatives will only be allowed to question witnesses concerning the force's actions in the incident.

Chief Inspector Mok Tsz-wai did not say whether the force would exercise their right to question witnesses but said the investigation into Chow's death is still ongoing.

Speaking outside the West Kowloon magistrates' court building where the coroner's court is located, Mok called upon anyone with information to come forward.

"I would like to appeal to people who have information about the case to contact the Kowloon East regional crime unit on 2726-6284, or the coroner's court on 3467-2230," Mok said.

Twenty police officers will testify during the inquest, mostly officers on duty who had been handling the clash nearby, he added.