Christopher Honeywell, the attorney who represented the widow of Mandeville businessman Jason Neil says it is highly unlikely that the court matter surrounding the circumstances of his death will be reopened.

Yesterday, a seven-member jury returned an open verdict in the coroner’s court which affirmed the occurrence of a suspicious death but did not specify the cause.

After a half-hour deliberation, the foreman informed coroner Monique Harrison of the jury’s decision.

Justice Harrison told the court that the verdict had brought the matter to an end as there was insufficient evidence to determine the cause of death, resulting from a gunshot wound to be murder or suicide.

However, she said if more evidence surfaces, then the matter can be reopened.

When probed by reporters on whether he believed the matter could be reconvened in the future, Mr. Honeywell said though it would be lawful to do so, he does not anticipate the emergence of new evidence.

In December 2018, Neil was found with a gunshot wound in the bathroom of his home in the Ingleside community.

Police reports are that his then-pregnant wife heard an explosion, and when she went to investigate, Mr. Neil was allegedly seen on the floor with his licensed firearm beside him.

He was pronounced dead at hospital.