FRIDAY, MAY 23, 1980
INSPECTOR MACLENNAN'S BODY WAS FOUND IN HIS BEDROOM, THE DOOR OF WHICH WAS LOCKED, THE POLICE HAD TO BREAK DOWN THE DOOR WITH A CROWBAR AS IT COULD ONLY BE LOCKED, OR UNLOCKED, FROM THE INSIDE BY A SNIB ON THE HANDLE. THERE WAS NO KEY MECHANISM OR OTHER MEANS OF LOCKING OR UNLOCKING THE DOOR FROM THE OUTSIDE.
+ INSPECTOR MACLENNAN'S SOLICITOR WAS PRESENT NEARBY WHILE THAT DOOR WAS BROKEN DOWN TOO,+ SAID THE ATTORNEY GENERAL.
ON THE EVIDENCE CONCERNING INSPECTOR MACLENNAN'S ACTIONS IN THE PERIOD BEFORE HIS BODY WAS FOUND MR GRIFFITHS POINTED TO EVIDENCE THAT
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INSPECTOR MAGLENNAN WAS WARNED THAT HE WAS ABOUT TO BE INTERVIEWED BY THE SPECIAL INVESTIGATION UNIT-
HE MADE A REQUEST FOR AN EARLY CALL AT 5.30 AM ON THE MORNING HIS BODY WAS FOUND, GIVING HIS OWN NAME AND TELEPHONE NUMBER-
INSPECTOR MACLENNAN VISITED THE POLICE ARMOURY AT 6 AM WHERE HE WAS RECOGNISED BY THE STATION SERGEANT ON DUTY WHO KNEW HIM. ON THIS OCCASION INSPECTOR MACLENNAN TOLD AN UNTRUE STORY TO THE ARMOURER, WHO ALSO KNEW HIM, THAT HE WAS GOING OUT ON A POLICE RAID AND REQUIRED HIS REVOLVER.
ON THE QUESTION OF THE REVOLVER USED AND THE BULLET WOUNDS, MR GRIFFITHS SAID THE WEAPON WHICH WAS ISSUED TO INSPECTOR MACLENNAN PROVED TO BE THAT FOUND BESIDE HIS BODY, AND TWO OF THE FIVE BULLETS WERE POSITIVELY PROVED BY A BALLISTICS EXPERT TO HAVE BEEN FIRED FROM IT. THE OTHERS WERE TOO BADLY DAMAGED FOR IDENTIFICATION.
MR GRIFFITHS SAID THAT HE WAS INITIALLY CONCERNED THAT THERE WERE FIVE BULLET WOUNDS, BUT HE WAS NOW QUITE SATISFIED THAT THERE WERE DOCUMENTED CASES IN MEDICAL BOOKS OF OTHER PERSONS IN OTHER PARTS OF THE WORLD HAVING COMMITTED SUICIDE BY SHOOTING THEMSELVES IN THE CHEST MANY TIMES, THIS VIEW WAS SUPPORTED BY THE EVIDENCE OF AN INDEPENDENT PATHOLOGIST WHO SAID HE BELIEVED IT WAS PERFECTLY POSSIBLE FOR INSPECTOR MACLENNAN TO HAVE SHOT HIMSELF FIVE TIMES.
THERE WAS ALSO CLEAR EVIDENCE PRODUCED BY THE HANDWRITING EXPERT THAT THE SUICIDE NOTE FOUND IN THE LOCKED FLAT WAS WRITTEN BY INSPECTOR MAGLENNAN,
+HAVING REGARD TO ALL THESE CIRCUMSTANCES,+ MR GRIFFITHS SAID. +1 AM SATISFIED INSPECTOR MACLENNAN COMMITTED SUICIDE AND THAT NOTHING WOULD BE GAINED BY RE-OPENING THE INQUEST.+
TURNING TO THE RIDER TO THE JURY'S VERDICT CONCERNING THE HOMOSEXUALITY LAW IN HONG KONG THE ATTORNEY GENERAL SAID THAT THE LAW RELATING TO HOMOSEXUALITY WAS TO BE REFERRED TO THE NEWLY ESTABLISHED LAW REFORM COMMISSION.
/MH GRIFFITHS