Saturday, April 18, 2009

Laughing gas kills comedian

A comedian died after accidentally overdosing on laughing gas while watching computer porn, an inquest heard.

Mark Cassidy, 42, lost consciousness as he inhaled the nitrous oxide from a canister.

He was found dead in bed, surrounded by cans of the gas, after his family became worried they had not seen him for several days and broke into his home in Blackburn.



The divorcee used the name Martin Cassidy to run a comedy club in the town and also worked for the Highways Agency, the Blackburn inquest heard.

East Lancashire coroner Michael Singleton said the death must have been “terribly shocking” for the family and the most likely explanation was that “it was auto-eroticism that had gone wrong”.

He added: “The injury causing death was asphyxia, due to nitrous oxide toxicity. There is no evidence that he intended to bring about his own demise.” Verdict: Misadventure.

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