Inquest opens into death of former Cambridge professor Jason Arday

An inquest has formally opened into the death of Jason Arday, the former University of Cambridge professor who resigned amid plagiarism allegations. Arday, 41, was found unresponsive at his home in Battersea, south London, on 14 August, nine days after stepping down from his post. Senior coroner Dr Julian Morris said on Wednesday that reports gave him reason to suspect an unnatural death, prompting an investigation. Police have said the death was unexpected but not suspicious. Source: BBC Source: AP News

The allegations

Arday became Cambridge's youngest Black professor in 2023, but faced intense scrutiny after Nathan Cofnas, a former Cambridge researcher, accused him of plagiarism. Newspapers reported over 100 passages in Arday's PhD thesis were identical or near-identical to another researcher's work. Arday denied plagiarism but admitted to some mistakes, attributing errors to his autism. He also revised claims about raising £5.5 million for charity and running 30 marathons in 35 days. Source: AP News Source: The Guardian

The reaction

Arday's family condemned a "campaign of misinformation" against him, saying it was "too much" for him. His death sparked grief and a fundraiser raising nearly £225,000. The coroner urged media to be "mindful of your reporting." Source: BBC Source: The Guardian

What's next

The inquest was adjourned to a later date. Arday's memoir, "Great and Unfortunate Things," is published in the UK on Thursday as planned, with his family saying they honour his wishes. Source: BBC Source: AP News