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| Lawyer killed by window frame on London street, inquest told | Lawyer killed by window frame on London street, inquest told |
| (7 months later) | |
| A lawyer died in central London when a half-tonne wooden window frame toppled on to her as she walked in the street, an inquest heard. | A lawyer died in central London when a half-tonne wooden window frame toppled on to her as she walked in the street, an inquest heard. |
| Amanda Telfer, 44, who also acted as a volunteer investigator for a charity helping Guantánamo Bay inmates and people facing the death penalty around the world, died after the 13ft x 13ft window fell on her as she walked past. | Amanda Telfer, 44, who also acted as a volunteer investigator for a charity helping Guantánamo Bay inmates and people facing the death penalty around the world, died after the 13ft x 13ft window fell on her as she walked past. |
| The frame, which had been propped up against a wall, pinned her to the ground in Hanover Street, off Regent Street, the hearing at Westminster coroner's court was told. | The frame, which had been propped up against a wall, pinned her to the ground in Hanover Street, off Regent Street, the hearing at Westminster coroner's court was told. |
| Bystanders lifted the frame off her and tried to resuscitate her, before paramedics arrived, but Telfer, of Bermondsey, south London, was pronounced dead shortly after 11.57am last Thursday. | Bystanders lifted the frame off her and tried to resuscitate her, before paramedics arrived, but Telfer, of Bermondsey, south London, was pronounced dead shortly after 11.57am last Thursday. |
| The coroner, Dr Fiona Wilcox, opened and adjourned the inquest to allow the Metropolitan police and Health and Safety Executive to continue their investigation. | The coroner, Dr Fiona Wilcox, opened and adjourned the inquest to allow the Metropolitan police and Health and Safety Executive to continue their investigation. |
| Telfer, who was single, was a volunteer for the charity Reprieve, and helped represent British-born Neil Revill, 40, who faced a possible death sentence for the double murder of a drug dealer and his girlfriend in California in 2001. He was eventually sentenced to life after a trial last year. | Telfer, who was single, was a volunteer for the charity Reprieve, and helped represent British-born Neil Revill, 40, who faced a possible death sentence for the double murder of a drug dealer and his girlfriend in California in 2001. He was eventually sentenced to life after a trial last year. |
| Speaking from Guantánamo Bay, Clive Stafford Smith, Reprieve's founder, told the Evening Standard: "I heard about poor Amanda a couple of days ago – what a tragedy. | Speaking from Guantánamo Bay, Clive Stafford Smith, Reprieve's founder, told the Evening Standard: "I heard about poor Amanda a couple of days ago – what a tragedy. |
| "She was a volunteer at Reprieve, and an excellent one, and then very kindly legalled my new book, so it was a pleasure to have the chance to catch up with her then. How very sad it was to hear, and my heart goes out to her family." | "She was a volunteer at Reprieve, and an excellent one, and then very kindly legalled my new book, so it was a pleasure to have the chance to catch up with her then. How very sad it was to hear, and my heart goes out to her family." |
| A postmortem examination was carried out on Saturday and gave the cause of death as blunt force trauma. | A postmortem examination was carried out on Saturday and gave the cause of death as blunt force trauma. |
| Keystone Law, where Telfer worked since 2005 specialising in libel, defamation and privacy law, said she was "an extremely talented lawyer, much admired by her clients and colleagues". | Keystone Law, where Telfer worked since 2005 specialising in libel, defamation and privacy law, said she was "an extremely talented lawyer, much admired by her clients and colleagues". |
| "Amanda was always a pleasure to work with and we shall miss her greatly," it said in a statement on its website. "Our thoughts are with Amanda's family at this difficult time." | "Amanda was always a pleasure to work with and we shall miss her greatly," it said in a statement on its website. "Our thoughts are with Amanda's family at this difficult time." |
| Telfer previously worked for the publisher Random House for more than six years, with the company describing her as a "valued and popular consultant lawyer". | Telfer previously worked for the publisher Random House for more than six years, with the company describing her as a "valued and popular consultant lawyer". |
| "Not only was Amanda a brilliant lawyer whose advice and help could always be relied upon, but she was terrific fun to be around," a spokeswoman said. | "Not only was Amanda a brilliant lawyer whose advice and help could always be relied upon, but she was terrific fun to be around," a spokeswoman said. |
| "She was held in the highest regard by colleagues for her professional expertise and her warm and approachable style. | "She was held in the highest regard by colleagues for her professional expertise and her warm and approachable style. |
| "She will be greatly missed by her many friends at Random House and by all who had the privilege of working with her. Our thoughts are with her family at this difficult time." | "She will be greatly missed by her many friends at Random House and by all who had the privilege of working with her. Our thoughts are with her family at this difficult time." |
| Sinead Martin, Random House's group legal director, said: "Amanda was very special, a thoroughly good person." | Sinead Martin, Random House's group legal director, said: "Amanda was very special, a thoroughly good person." |
| Wilcox said the investigation would take some time and a review would be held in December to fix a date for the inquest. No family members were in court for Wednesday's brief hearing. | Wilcox said the investigation would take some time and a review would be held in December to fix a date for the inquest. No family members were in court for Wednesday's brief hearing. |
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