Overview
- Jason Arday was found unresponsive at his Battersea home on August 14 and was pronounced dead after resuscitation attempts, with police initially saying the scene was not believed to be suspicious.
- Senior coroner Dr Julian Morris opened an inquest after saying reports gave him reason to suspect an "unnatural death," and he has launched a formal investigation while awaiting medical and police reports.
- Arday resigned his Cambridge post on August 5 after public allegations from academic Nathan Cofnas that parts of his 2015 PhD and elements of his biography contained overlapping or inaccurate material, and Cambridge has since signalled inquiries into the appointment and vetting process.
- Simon & Schuster UK confirmed it will publish Arday’s memoir in the U.K. as scheduled following its U.S. release on August 11, with reporting noting some personal claims were revised or omitted in the finished book and initial U.S. print sales were low.
- Public reaction has included large vigils, a fundraiser that raised about £224,000 and calls for reviews of press practice and university processes, while Ghent University has suspended Cofnas pending a disciplinary probe.