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CNN Live Saturday
British Scientist Allegedly Commits Suicide
Aired July 19, 2003 - 18:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: An official investigation is to begin in the death of British weapons expert David Kelly but today his family and the scientific community are mourning the man who got embroiled in a fierce political storm.
CNN's Hala Gorani has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HALA GORANI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: An apparent suicide, a scientist at the center of the row on whether the British government exaggerated Iraq's weapons threat was formally identified by police Saturday.
DAVE PURNELL, THAMES VALLEY POLICE: Well, I can confirm that the body at (UNINTELLIGIBLE) has been formally identified as Dr. David Kelly, age 59, of Ferrington (ph) Road, Southmoor, Abingdon.
The postmortem has revealed that the cause of death was hemorrhaging from a wound to his left wrist. The injury is consistent with having been caused by a bladed object. We've recovered a knife and an open packet of Co-Proxymol tablets at the scene.
GORANI: A few hours later a statement by the Kelly family, also read by police, expressed sorrow for their loss but also called for reflection.
PURNELL: Events over recent weeks have made David's life intolerable and all of those involved should reflect long and hard on this fact.
GORANI: Across the nation as well, shock and accusatory fingers, many newspapers implying the Blair government and the press pushed David Kelly over the edge. He was grilled by a Parliamentary Committee earlier this week.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why did you go along with it, Dr. Kelly? You were being exploited, weren't you?
DR. DAVID KELLY: I wouldn't say I was being exploited.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You being exploited, rubbish Mr. Gilligan (ph) in the source, quite clearly.
GORANI: Accused by some of leaking intelligence to a BBC journalist who then used that information to attack the government's credibility. But it was primarily a day of grief and tragedy for the Kelly's. Outside the family home, police deliver signs of support from the community eager to show its sympathy for the doctor's widow and his three daughters.
(on camera): The untimely death of Dr. David Kelly may have occurred very near here in the rural backdrop of a small community in southern England but its ramifications are already extending far beyond to the highest levels of British government with a ripple effect that could continue for weeks beyond this sad day.
Hala Gorani, CNN, Oxfordshire County, Southern England.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
Aired July 19, 2003 - 18:07 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
FREDERICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: An official investigation is to begin in the death of British weapons expert David Kelly but today his family and the scientific community are mourning the man who got embroiled in a fierce political storm.
CNN's Hala Gorani has more.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
HALA GORANI, CNN CORRESPONDENT: An apparent suicide, a scientist at the center of the row on whether the British government exaggerated Iraq's weapons threat was formally identified by police Saturday.
DAVE PURNELL, THAMES VALLEY POLICE: Well, I can confirm that the body at (UNINTELLIGIBLE) has been formally identified as Dr. David Kelly, age 59, of Ferrington (ph) Road, Southmoor, Abingdon.
The postmortem has revealed that the cause of death was hemorrhaging from a wound to his left wrist. The injury is consistent with having been caused by a bladed object. We've recovered a knife and an open packet of Co-Proxymol tablets at the scene.
GORANI: A few hours later a statement by the Kelly family, also read by police, expressed sorrow for their loss but also called for reflection.
PURNELL: Events over recent weeks have made David's life intolerable and all of those involved should reflect long and hard on this fact.
GORANI: Across the nation as well, shock and accusatory fingers, many newspapers implying the Blair government and the press pushed David Kelly over the edge. He was grilled by a Parliamentary Committee earlier this week.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Why did you go along with it, Dr. Kelly? You were being exploited, weren't you?
DR. DAVID KELLY: I wouldn't say I was being exploited.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: You being exploited, rubbish Mr. Gilligan (ph) in the source, quite clearly.
GORANI: Accused by some of leaking intelligence to a BBC journalist who then used that information to attack the government's credibility. But it was primarily a day of grief and tragedy for the Kelly's. Outside the family home, police deliver signs of support from the community eager to show its sympathy for the doctor's widow and his three daughters.
(on camera): The untimely death of Dr. David Kelly may have occurred very near here in the rural backdrop of a small community in southern England but its ramifications are already extending far beyond to the highest levels of British government with a ripple effect that could continue for weeks beyond this sad day.
Hala Gorani, CNN, Oxfordshire County, Southern England.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com
