Govt says American scientist hanged himself

AFP/Singapore

The Singapore government yesterday rejected a conspiracy theory behind the death of an American scientist found hanged in the city-state last year, saying he killed himself after a bout of depression.

Summing up its position at a coroner’s inquest into electronics engineer Shane Todd’s death in June 2012, a government statement said “it is clear from the medical forensic evidence that the medical cause of Shane’s death was asphyxia due to hanging.”

Public hearings on the case were held from May 13-27. An independent coroner’s verdict on the cause of death is due to be handed down on July 8.

Todd’s family, who believe Todd was murdered, stormed out of the hearings on May 21, saying they had “lost faith” in the proceedings and describing it as one-sided. They later said they may have the body exhumed in California for further tests. The head of the Singaporean legal team that assisted the family during the inquest said that the Todds, now back in the US, were still considering whether to file a formal closing submission to the coroner.

“They have contacted us,” said Gloria James-Civetta. “A decision has not been reached on whether or not there will be a submission.”

Lawyers for the Singapore government cited suicide notes left by Todd on his laptop computer, a psychiatrist’s testimony that he suffered from depression, and a browsing history showing he accessed suicide websites before his death.

“The conspicuous absence of any evidence to support the next-of-kin’s homicide theory must be viewed in juxtaposition with the overwhelming evidence pointing inexorably towards suicide,” said a closing statement read in court by senior state counsel Tai Wei Shyong.