Shane Todd's family abandoning coroner's inquiry
The family of Shane Todd, a U.S. scientist found hanged dead in Singapore last year, will not participate in the remainder of a coroner’s inquiry into his death, according to lawyer Amarjit Singh Sidhu, one of the five lawyers for the Todds.
The team of lawyers has also been formally discharged.
This comes after the Todds walked out of the coroner's inquiry Tuesday, saying they had "lost faith" in the proceedings.
A U.S. Embassy spokesman said that the Todds will be returning to the U.S. but that it was not clear when.
He added that the Todds were at the embassy at 5pm on Tuesday and met US Ambassador David Adelman who “expressed condolences” and " listened to their concerns".
The inquiry, however, will continue.
The Todds walked out of the inquiry after their star witness, a U.S. pathologist who never examined the body, came under intense questioning for saying Todd may have been killed by assassins after quitting a high-tech project.
Singapore authorities believe Todd, who had a history of depression, committed suicide and have rejected the theory.
The family quit the inquiry after learning that a French ex-colleague of Todd's, Luis Alejandro Andro Montes, whom they don’t know, was going to testify that the American was still alive the day before his body was found on June 24, 2012.
Singapore police testified last week that there were no signs of a struggle in the apartment where Todd's body was found.
Two other U.S. medical examiners acting as independent experts support the suicide findings and have been lined up to testify at the inquest, according to Singapore’s state lawyers.
Related Stories:
US scientist's family walks out of Singapore inquest
Parents of US scientist hit out at Singapore police
US scientist had relapse of depression: witness
