Open verdict

/ˈəʊpən vˈɜːdɪkt/

/ˈoʊpən vˈɜːdɪkt/

[noun]

Open verdict

[NOUN]

(in the UK) a legal decision that declares the cause of someone's death IS unknown

Examples

1. And recorded his death as an open verdict.

2. In March of 2005, a coroner recorded an open verdict on the cause of his death.

3. Reuters reports that coroner Peter Bedford recorded an open verdict at the inquest, saying that it was impossible to be absolutely certain whether or not Berezovsky killed himself or was murdered.