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| Dr David Kelly post-mortem details to be released | Dr David Kelly post-mortem details to be released |
| (40 minutes later) | |
| Secret medical evidence relating to the death in 2003 of Iraq weapons expert Dr David Kelly is to be released later by the UK government. | Secret medical evidence relating to the death in 2003 of Iraq weapons expert Dr David Kelly is to be released later by the UK government. |
| After the official inquiry into his death ended in 2004, details of the post-mortem examination and toxicology tests were classified for 70 years. | After the official inquiry into his death ended in 2004, details of the post-mortem examination and toxicology tests were classified for 70 years. |
| But they are now set to be published by the Ministry of Justice. | |
| A group of doctors have called for the case to be reopened, arguing that the inquiry's suicide verdict was unsafe. | A group of doctors have called for the case to be reopened, arguing that the inquiry's suicide verdict was unsafe. |
| Dr Kelly's body was found in woods close to his Oxfordshire home in 2003, after it was revealed he had provided the information for a BBC News story casting doubt on the government's claim that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction capable of being fired within 45 minutes. | Dr Kelly's body was found in woods close to his Oxfordshire home in 2003, after it was revealed he had provided the information for a BBC News story casting doubt on the government's claim that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction capable of being fired within 45 minutes. |
| That claim was a key part of the government's justification for launching the war in Iraq. | That claim was a key part of the government's justification for launching the war in Iraq. |
| Instead of a coroner's inquest, then Prime Minister Tony Blair asked Lord Hutton to conduct an investigation, which found Dr Kelly had died from blood loss after slashing his wrist with a knife. | Instead of a coroner's inquest, then Prime Minister Tony Blair asked Lord Hutton to conduct an investigation, which found Dr Kelly had died from blood loss after slashing his wrist with a knife. |
| Lord Hutton declared that the medical evidence which led him to that verdict should be kept secret for the sake of the scientist's family. | Lord Hutton declared that the medical evidence which led him to that verdict should be kept secret for the sake of the scientist's family. |
| Doctors' call | Doctors' call |
| However, in August a group of eight doctors who claimed Lord Hutton's conclusions were unproven wrote to the Times calling for the case to be reopened. | However, in August a group of eight doctors who claimed Lord Hutton's conclusions were unproven wrote to the Times calling for the case to be reopened. |
| They argued that the wound to Dr Kelly's wrist was "extremely unlikely" to have been fatal, and cited testimony given by the detective who found his body, who said he did not see "much blood" at the scene. | They argued that the wound to Dr Kelly's wrist was "extremely unlikely" to have been fatal, and cited testimony given by the detective who found his body, who said he did not see "much blood" at the scene. |
| Later that month, the Home Office pathologist who carried out the post-mortem examination said he had found no evidence of foul play. | Later that month, the Home Office pathologist who carried out the post-mortem examination said he had found no evidence of foul play. |
| Nicholas Hunt told the Sunday Times: "I felt very sorry for David Kelly and the way he had been treated by the government... I had every reason to look for something untoward and would dearly love to have found something. | Nicholas Hunt told the Sunday Times: "I felt very sorry for David Kelly and the way he had been treated by the government... I had every reason to look for something untoward and would dearly love to have found something. |
| "It was an absolute classic case of self-inflicted injury. You could illustrate a textbook with it." | "It was an absolute classic case of self-inflicted injury. You could illustrate a textbook with it." |
| A spokesman for Attorney General Dominic Grieve said earlier this year that if new evidence was put before him, he would consider whether an application for a new inquest should be made to the High Court. | A spokesman for Attorney General Dominic Grieve said earlier this year that if new evidence was put before him, he would consider whether an application for a new inquest should be made to the High Court. |
| When the Conservatives were in opposition, Mr Grieve backed calls for the investigation to be reopened as the public "have not been reassured" by the official verdict that Dr Kelly killed himself. | When the Conservatives were in opposition, Mr Grieve backed calls for the investigation to be reopened as the public "have not been reassured" by the official verdict that Dr Kelly killed himself. |