Chief Magistrate Roger Gomez said police and pathology reports were still awaited on cover girl Anna Nicole Smith's 20-year-old son. "We are still waiting for the police and pathology reports to come in," Mr Gomez said. "After getting all of the reports, a decision will be made as to whether or not an inquest will be held."
Mr Gomez said he believed the reports would be in some time this week. October 23 had originally been set as the date for an inquest into Daniel Smith's death. That date has been cancelled, he said.
Mr Gomez said it would be his decision on whether to hold an inquest.
"When we get all of the reports, a decision and an announcement will be made as to who will be hearing the inquest and the time, if one is, to be held," the magistrate said.
Daniel Smith was found dead on September 10 at his mother's bedside in her room at Doctors Hospital. He had flown to the Bahamas the night before to see his mother and his newly born sister, Dannie Lynn Hope.
Daniel's body reportedly remains embalmed in a local morgue. As yet there has been no word as to when a funeral will take place.
Last month the Coroner's Court was disbanded by Chief Justice Sir Burton Hall, who announced that the system will be reverting to the old justice system where cases can be shared among the other 43 magistrates who, by law, can also serve as coroners.
The court was reportedly dissolved amid numerous complaints that the case had been given an immediate date, while others has waited years. It is now expected that the backlog in inquest hearings can be alle viated with 13 magistrates rather than one coroner.
However, privately-hired US pathologist Dr Cyril Wecht, who carried out a second autopsy on Daniel's body, revealed that the young man had methadone and at least two anti-depressants in his system.
As speculation continues to rage on American television over Daniel's death, Bahamian police stressed they were not involved in the delay of his funeral.
Anna Nicole's mother Virgie Arthur told CNN's Nancy Grace last week that she is very upset that her "precious" grandson was "still lying in a cold room somewhere."
But Bahamas CDU boss Chief Supt Marvin Dames, said as far as police were concerned, Daniels's body had been released for burial. He said the delay in holding a funeral had nothing to do with them.
Source: The Tribune
