Petition to Reopen the Investigation into Kurt Cobain\'s Death
On Friday, April 8th, 1994, Kurt Cobain was found dead in the upper room of the garage at his property at 171 Lake Washington Blvd E., Seattle Washington. After an exhaustive study of the available evidence, we, the undersigned, believe this case was not investigated and should be reopened and reinvestigated thoroughly, with all of the results made public. Kurts death has remained clouded by doubt and suspicion for almost ten (10) years. There is still more information to be discovered and analyzed, witnesses to be interrogated and subpoenaed under oath, if necessary, and many questions have been left unanswered. It is time to find the answers and the truth.
Some of the points showing a proper investigation was not conducted and leaving unanswered questions include the following examples. These are only a few of the examples that convince people a thorough, by-the-book investigation was not done and why many believe this case needs to be reopened and reinvestigated properly.
1) Officer Lewandoski was dispatched to the scene at 8.56 am according to his initial incident report. By 9.50 am, according to the police report written by detectives Jim Yoshida and Steve Kirkland, homicide was notified. At that time, the case was already being called a suicide. Since the investigation had not yet been completed, it should not have been called a suicide at that point.
2) Dr. Nikolas Hartshorne, from the King Country Medical Examiners office, did the initial investigation at the scene. Dr. Hartshorne was a friend of the wife of the deceased, and possibly also of the deceased, as evidence exists to show that Hartshorne at one time booked shows for Cobains band, Nirvana. This relationship constitutes a direct conflict of interest for Hartshorne.
3) Kurt Cobain was never considered suicidal until after his death and then, only by a few people, who may have had their own motives for labeling him so. However, there is evidence that Cobain stated he was in fear of his life shortly before he died, and that the shotgun found with his body was purchased for protection due to this fear. Also, certain evidence of what is now being termed an earlier suicide attempt may possibly be evidence of an earlier murder attempt. At the time of this earlier event the doctor treating Cobain at the time did not see it as such. Cobain himself stated that it was not a suicide attempt. Also, it was not termed a suicide attempt by anyone else prior to Cobain\'s death. Only after his death did some term this earlier incident a \'suicide attempt\'.
4) According to information, Cobain\'s heroin, (morphine), blood level was 1.52 mgs per liter, which would require a minimum injection of 225 mgs of heroin. This is three times a lethal dose, even for a hardcore heroin addict. Dr. Hartshorne, as stated in the Yoshida/Kirkland police report, found two puncture marks, one on each arm. The drug paraphernalia was located inside the closed cigar box found in the room, the victims sleeves were rolled down, and no drug paraphernalia was found next to, or still stuck in, the body. According to medical research, the amount of heroin (morphine) found in the body several days after death would not allow someone to put things away, roll down their sleeves, then the pick up a shotgun and use it. The amount of drugs would have rendered a person unconscious long before they would have time to do all that. Also, there have been no other documented instances where a suicide victim took massive amounts of drugs and also used a shotgun to kill themselves.
5) An acquaintance of Cobains spouse stated he was offered money to kill Cobain. This individual passed two lie detectors tests, administered by Dr. Edward Gelb, a foremost expert in the USA on administering lie detector tests. This acquaintance later died under suspicious circumstances.
6) According to authorities, Cobain died on approximately April 4th-5th, 1994, yet someone was attempting to use his credit cards up until April 8th, 1994 even though Cobains spouse had cancelled them by April 3rd, 1994. Cobain had used this same credit card to purchase his plane ticket from California to Seattle on Friday, April 1st, 1994, and the credit card was missing from his wallet when his body was found on April 8th.
7) The police report states that the shotgun was found on the body, inverted with the trigger and magazine trap door pointing up. That would place the ejection port of the gun to Cobains right. If Cobain shot himself with the shotgun facing in this direction, the shell should have been found to his right. Yet the shell was found some distance from, and to left of, his body.
8) The police report also states the balcony door was barricaded with a stool, while the main entry door, opposite to the balcony door, was locked. The only way onto the balcony was from inside the room where the body was found, and the stool was not in any way a barricade. The main entry door had a push type lock, which anyone could have locked and closed when leaving the room.
We are asking that this case be reopened and a full, thorough investigation take place to determine the truth about how Kurt Cobain died. Our concern is not only that the truth be found about Kurt Cobains death, but that all cases should be properly investigated. If the case of a well-known person is not done correctly, as the evidence clearly shows it was not, we can have no assurances that those of others not so well-known will be investigated properly. The life story of every human being deserves an honest ending.
We would like to try and get as many signatures as we can by March 25th (though we will continue the petition past that date), so we can mail them to the appropriate people/organizations before the 10th anniversary of Kurt\'s death in April 2004.
copyright 12/30/2003-MAA/ArcaneStudios