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Inquest to resolve Kelly 'suicide riddle'
By Hugh Dougherty, Evening Standard Last updated at 00:00am on 06.02.04A coroner is poised to order a full inquest into the death of David Kelly amid mounting medical concern at the quality of the Hutton report.
Oxford Coroner Nicholas Gardiner has received letters from doctors calling for the inquest to end speculation over Dr Kelly's death.
They have warned that the Hutton Inquiry failed to remove any lingering doubts that the method of suicide Dr Kelly apparently used would have killed him.
A number of senior medical figures have gone public to ask whether the evidence presented does enough to show he killed himself.
The inquiry would be able to consider evidence not made public during the Hutton Inquiry, and force reluctant witnesses to give evidence. It would also be able to call independent experts to hold crucial medical evidence up to scrutiny.
In a key sign Mr Gardiner will rule in favour of an inquest, he is to convene a hearing at which "interested parties" will make representations of their views.
These will include the Kelly family, and could also include the Government, police and medical bodies. The hearing would be unprecedented.
Lawyers for the Kelly family today refused to comment on whether they would make representations to the coroner. The hearing will be held next month after a legal ban on Mr Gardiner becoming involved in the case ends.
He said: "I can't make any decision for 28 days for legal reasons. After that I hope to see whether I think there are any exceptional reasons for reopening the inquest."
