Death of Rolling Stones Brian Jones to Be Reexamined

New evidence has surfaced in the death of former Rolling Stones guitarist, Brian Jones, according to Sussex police. Forty years ago, the musician died from what was assumed at the time to be an accident. His body was found at the bottom of a swimming pool at his house in Cotchford Farm in East Sussex, England on July 3, 1969.

Sussex police are examining documents in order to decide whether to reopen the case as a possible murder. Even though the original inquest recorded the cause of death due to "misadventure," or accidental drowning caused by drugs and alcohol, speculation has grown that the guitarist's sudden demise was suspicious.

Brian Jones was the creative force of the Rolling Stones and one of its founding members, along with Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. Rolling Stone Magazine called Jones "a sweet blond angel," the antithesis of the raunchy personas of Jagger and Richards. Despite the phenomenal success that the Stones achieved through the sixties, Jagger and Richards went to Jones' house on June 9, 1969 to remove him from the band because Jones' drug- fueled bad behavior had become a liability. Jones said at the time that "I no longer see eye-to-eye with the others over the discs we are cutting." Less than one month later, the 27 year-old was dead.

Despite Brian Jones' history of drug abuse, the coroner found no drugs in his system and the alcohol that was present was little more than the equivalent of three pints of beer. Also, Jones was reportedly an excellent swimmer.

Scott Jones,an investigative reporter (no relation to Brian Jones) has been looking into the death of the musician for four years. In an article in the Daily Mail in November 2008, the reporter wrote, "I'm convinced that Brian Jones' death was not fully investigated. The only question that remains is why?"

Scott Jones interviewed several people present the night the guitarist died, including Janet Lawson, a nurse who was the girlfriend of Jones' handyman, Frank Thorogood, who had been in the pool with Brian Jones around the time of his death. Thorogood reportedly had problems with Jones while working on the property. Lawson contradicted her testimony of 1969, telling Scott Jones that her original statement was, "a pack of lies...total rubbish." She said that Thorogood had threatened her to tell the inquest that the drowning was accidental. Lawson passed away shortly after being interviewed by Scott Jones.

According to CNN, Thorogood allegedly made a deathbed confession in 1993 that he had killed Brian Jones.

The documents that Scott Jones furnished to police included a statement from Janet Lawson revising the scenario of events leading up to Brian Jones' death and newly released files from the Sussex Public Records Office. A police spokesman said "These papers will be examined... but it's too early to comment at this time what the outcome will be."

Sources: BBC News
CNN
Rolling Stone Magazine
trutv.com