The second inquest into Amy Winehouse’s death confirmed that she died from alcohol poisoning after binge drinking following a period of abstinence.
This inquest was prompted by the discovery that the original coroner, Suzanne Greenaway, lacked the necessary qualifications for her role.
Suzanne Greenaway stepped down in November after it was revealed she lacked the required five years of experience in the Law Society, and Dr. Andrew Reid resigned in December. Amy Winehouse was found dead in her Camden flat on 23 July 2011.
The second inquest confirmed that she had 416mg of alcohol per decilitre in her blood, a level that could cause coma and respiratory depression.
When found, Winehouse was fully clothed with a laptop on her bed and empty vodka bottles on the floor.
Recording a verdict of misadventure, the St Pancras coroner, Dr Shirley Radcliffe, said:
“She voluntarily consumed alcohol, a deliberate act that took an unexpected turn in that it caused her death.”
Dr. Christina Romete, Amy Winehouse’s GP, described her as intelligent but struggling with alcohol addiction. Winehouse often refused psychiatric help, fearing it would affect her creativity, and repeatedly fell into binge drinking after periods of abstinence.
She had stopped using drugs before a trip to St Lucia but struggled with alcohol upon returning to the UK.
She was taking medication for withdrawal and anxiety and had been reviewed by mental health professionals the previous year.
Dr. Romete saw Winehouse the night before her death. Winehouse, who appeared calm and somewhat guilty, admitted to starting drinking again on 20 July after a brief period of abstinence.
She expressed boredom as the reason and apologized for wasting the doctor’s time. When asked if she would stop drinking, Winehouse was uncertain but did not express suicidal thoughts.
Andrew Morris, Winehouse’s bodyguard, described their relationship as close and said she drank moderately in the days before her death, though he recognized when she had drunk too much.
On the night before her death, Andrew Morris heard Winehouse laughing, listening to music, and watching TV. He last spoke to her at 2am and checked on her at 10am, but thought she was just asleep.
By 2:30-3pm, noticing unusual quietness, he checked again and found her unresponsive with no pulse.
Paramedics confirmed her death, and Morris was deeply shaken. Pathologist Michael Sheaff, who confirmed the findings of the original autopsy, stated that the alcohol level in Winehouse’s blood was fatal, with levels of 350mg per decilitre being associated with fatalities.
The coroner recorded a verdict of “alcohol toxicity” in Amy Winehouse’s death, noting that the alcohol level was typically fatal.
She highlighted that Winehouse had voluntarily consumed alcohol and that two empty vodka bottles were found beside her bed.
The coroner extended condolences to Winehouse’s parents, Mitch and Janis, who did not attend the inquest, acknowledging the loss of a talented woman at a young age.
