Coroner seeks new jury for RMC cadet death inquiry

The inquest into the mysterious death of Royal Military College cadet Joe Grozelle has been abruptly suspended, forcing his family to continue their wait to find out what happened before Grozelle's body was found ina Kingston river in October 2003.

Coroner David Eden, who was presiding over the hearing, announced Thursday morning that the inquest will start over with a new jury.

He gave no reasons for his decision, but said the current jury of three men and two women will be dismissed and replaced in order to ensure the hearing is fair and to restore confidence in the judicial process.

The inquest began on Oct. 20, and the jury had sat for five out of an estimated 16 days of testimony. The inquest was scheduled to take place over two months.

A number of witnesses have taken the stand, including pathologists who had performed two separate autopsies on Grozelle's body.

However, the jury had also spent much ofits time listening to lawyers discussing procedural motions, and there were suggestions that these discussions could have influenced and prejudiced the jury, prompting Eden's move.

A new date has not yet been set for the inquest, but that is to be discussed on Friday by the counsel for the coroner, the Department of National Defence and the Grozelle family.

Grozelle's parents, who had been waiting three years to find out what happened to their son, said they were disappointed.

Grozelle, 21,wasfrom Ridgetown, Ont., near Chatham.He wasstudying atRoyal Military College when he disappeared from his dormitoryroom on Oct. 22, 2003.

His body was found floating in the nearby Cataraqui River three weeks later.

Canadian Forces investigators initially ruled that his death was a suicide, but his friends and family insisted Grozelle would never take his own life.

They havelong pushed for a full inquest that would considerthe possibility that foul play was involved in Grozelle's death.