Psychiatrist- 'Public disgrace' likely led to scientist suicide

LONDON -- The weapons expert at the center of a debate about government evidence on Iraqi arms probably killed himself because he felt others had lost trust in him and he was anguished about being identified as the source of a BBC story, a psychiatrist said Tuesday.

"Being such a private man, I think this was anathema to him to be exposed publicly in this way," said Dr. Keith Hawton, a suicide expert at Oxford University retained by the inquiry.

"I think he would have seen it as being a public disgrace."