Amy Winehouse inquest to be heard again
LONDON (AP) - The inquest into the death of soul singer Amy Winehouse was overseen by a coroner who lacked the proper qualifications and must be heard again next month, officials said Monday.
Assistant deputy coroner Suzanne Greenaway, who handled the inquest, resigned in November 2011 after her qualifications were questioned.
Camden Council said a new hearing has been scheduled on Jan. 8.
"The inquest into the death of Amy Winehouse had not technically been heard," it said in a statement.
Winehouse was found dead in her London home in July 2011 at age 27. In an inquest in October 2011, Greenaway ruled that the "Back to Black" singer had died of accidental alcohol poisoning.
Greenaway had been appointed an assistant deputy coroner in London in 2009 by her husband, Andrew Reid, the coroner for inner north London. But she resigned after authorities learned she had not been a registered U.K. lawyer for five years as required by the rules.
She had practiced law for a decade in her native Australia.
Reid was suspended, and he resigned earlier this month.
Winehouse family spokesman Chris Goodman said Monday that the singer's family had not requested a new hearing.
Last year's inquest heard evidence from a pathologist, Winehouse's doctor, the security guard who found her and a detective who described seeing three empty vodka bottles in her bedroom. It appears unlikely that a second inquest would produce a different conclusion about how she died.
Assistant deputy coroner Suzanne Greenaway, who handled the inquest, resigned in November 2011 after her qualifications were questioned.
Camden Council said a new hearing has been scheduled on Jan. 8.
"The inquest into the death of Amy Winehouse had not technically been heard," it said in a statement.
Winehouse was found dead in her London home in July 2011 at age 27. In an inquest in October 2011, Greenaway ruled that the "Back to Black" singer had died of accidental alcohol poisoning.
Greenaway had been appointed an assistant deputy coroner in London in 2009 by her husband, Andrew Reid, the coroner for inner north London. But she resigned after authorities learned she had not been a registered U.K. lawyer for five years as required by the rules.
She had practiced law for a decade in her native Australia.
Reid was suspended, and he resigned earlier this month.
Winehouse family spokesman Chris Goodman said Monday that the singer's family had not requested a new hearing.
Last year's inquest heard evidence from a pathologist, Winehouse's doctor, the security guard who found her and a detective who described seeing three empty vodka bottles in her bedroom. It appears unlikely that a second inquest would produce a different conclusion about how she died.
She's dead, what difference does it make? Â Her family has been through enough, leave it alone already.
@Doxie Well, it isn't that they're exhuming her body or anything.
In the British and Commonwealth court system, the inquest [essentially a coroner's report] must formally be read into evidence in open court. The guy who originally did that didn't have the official qualifcations to do that, so they have to do it again with qualified personnel. It's just a procedural matter, not a re-opening of the case.
Well, it isn't as if we haven't had that kind of stuff happen here.
What I find so bizarre is that while Whitney Houston and Amy Winehouse both died as a direct result of their addictions, on Houston is receiving all the BS 'we will always remember you' celebrity wake nonsense.
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Look, as talented as artists are, it's not as tragic as people other than paparazzi and tabloids like to think it is. Jimi Hendrix shot up and died. Charlie Parker, Janis Joplin, and Amy Winehouse drank themselves to death. James Belushi did heroin and coke until his heart blew up. While these artists will be missed, they also died junkies and that's no more tragic than anyone else.
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And I say that as an alcoholic in treatment and so it isn't a judgment statement. All addicts are one bad decision away from a relapse, but let's not idolize celebrity addicts... rather celebrate celebrities who are making a success of their lives while in recovery.
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@deadcandance Well, with addiction you don't 'get well', but thanks for the thought. Nice of you to say.
 @svensson  @deadcandance Stay strong - you can do it.  My brothers all struggle and one of them said, "When you do what you always did, you get what you always got."  It took him a while to figure that out.  Be proud of yourself, you deserve the best life has to offer.
Yep! She drank herself to death.