Dr Kelly's Death: TV Discussion (Channel 4 News)

WAS IT SUICIDE OR MURDER?
ARE THERE "EXCEPTIONAL REASONS" TO RE-OPEN A FULL INQUEST?

In the Channel 4 news item two surgeons, David Halpin FRCS and John Scurr FRCS; Professor of Forensic Toxicology, A R Forrest; Professor of Forensic Pathology, Chris Milroy; & QC Dr Michael Powers express their views on whether there are "exceptional reasons" to warrant re-opening a full inquest into Dr David Kelly's death.

COMMENT BY R.T.

Overall a good, balanced piece. However some important points went unmentioned or unchallenged:

Alex Thomson revealed how the Thames Valley Police launched an investigation they termed "Operation Mason" the day Kelly went missing - what was not mentioned was that this operation began half an hour before Kelly had left home!

Professor Robert Forrest claimed that Kelly took 29 Co-Proxamol tablets..... but only one fifth of a tablet was found in his stomach, and levels in the blood were a third of what is normally considered fatal.

Professor Chris Milroy spoke of.....

no signs of "a struggle"

- but Kelly could have been rendered unconscious

a cut wrist

- but vascular surgeon, John Scurr said that the artery transected was small, would have retracted within minutes and bleeding stopped

a significant, if not lethal, dose of Co-proxamol

- no consideration of the possibility that the drug was administered by injection

atherosclerosis

- inconsequential in Dr Kelly, who had demonstrated high effort tolerance

His inference is that if not one, then certainly the combination would have caused Dr Kelly's death.

But a combination of weak arguments does not make a strong one.

That elephant in the room - the possibility that this was not suicide but murder made to look like suicide - must be in full view. Only a truly rigorous examination of all the evidence will settle the matter, and this will only happen if a full investigation is mounted where witnesses are subpoenaed and evidence given on oath before a jury. –

- Rowena Thursby

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