Inquest jury retires to consider Woolmer verdict

The inquest into the death of former Pakistan coach Bob Woolmer entered its final stage as coroner Patrick Murphy gave his final summation and instructions to the 11 jurors who will now begin their deliberations.

Murphy listed several possible verdicts available to them, based on the evidence and testimony presented. These included murder, manslaughter (voluntary and involuntary), death by natural causes, unlawful killing, suicide, accident or misadventure. He also read out key evidence provided by 57 witnesses and statements from seven persons during the course of the testimony, which covered 26 days in Kingston, Jamaica. He added that in the event of the jury failing to agree, the court would accept a majority verdict.

Woolmer died hours after he was found unconscious in his Jamaica hotel room on March 18, a day after Pakistan suffered a humiliating defeat to Ireland at the World Cup. Dr Ere Seshaiah, the government pathologist who conducted the post mortem, declared that Woolmer was murdered but three independent pathologists all concluded later that Woolmer died due to natural causes.