Amy Winehouse Died From Alcohol Poisoning, New Investigation Confirms

Amy Winehouse did indeed die from alcohol poisoning, a new inquest has revealed. Authorities in London made the announcement today (Jan. 8), and while the initial inquest into Winehouse's July 23, 2011, death ended with the same conclusion, it was annulled last year, when it was discovered that the coroner who conducted the investigation was not properly qualified at the time, reports Rolling Stone.

The new inquest was ordered in December by the London borough of Camden and was delivered by Dr. Shirley Radcliffe, interim coroner for Inner North London. Radcliffe gave a verdict of "death by misadventure," meaning the death is judged to be accidental, with no law broken and no criminal negligence involved.

A postmortem indicated Winehouse had an elevated blood alcohol level of 0.4 at the time of death, and a pathologist reported that the singer likely suffered respiratory arrest from the high levels. "Toxicological analysis revealed a level of alcohol commonly associated with fatality," reported Radcliffe.

The original coroner, Suzanne Greenaway, was appointed to the position of assistant deputy coroner by her husband, London Coroner Andrew Reid, but she stepped down in November when it emerged she did not have the requisite five years' experience as an attorney. She made the same "death by misadventure" ruling after her examination of Winehouse.