The legal team representing Liberian economist and political commentator Samuel Jackson has formally requested a delay in the planned autopsy of his late wife, Ntombi Toni Khumalo, as the investigation into her death continues.
In a letter dated March 16, 2026, addressed to the Inspector General of the Liberia National Police, Gregory Coleman, Jackson’s lawyers asked authorities to postpone the scheduled autopsy to allow the defense adequate time to prepare and secure an independent medical expert.
The communication, signed by defense counsel Sayma Cyrenius Cephus, acknowledged that the legal team had received late notice regarding plans to conduct the autopsy at 11:00 a.m. on Monday.
While the defense said it does not object to the autopsy itself, the lawyers argued that the short notice made it difficult for them to properly represent their client’s interests during the process.
Among the concerns raised were the limited time provided for the notification, the absence of credentials for the pathologist expected to conduct the procedure, and the inability of the defense to secure a qualified pathologist to observe or represent their client during the examination.
The legal team also noted in the letter that no official death certificate establishing the cause of death had yet been issued, stating that the matter had not been formally challenged in a way that would immediately necessitate an autopsy.
“As such, we request deferring today’s autopsy to allow our client to hire a qualified pathologist,” the letter stated.
The request comes amid an ongoing investigation by the Liberia National Police into the circumstances surrounding the death of Toni Khumalo. Jackson has previously been identified by authorities as a suspect in the case while forensic examinations and witness interviews continue.
Police have not yet publicly responded to the defense team’s request for the postponement of the autopsy as investigators work to determine the exact cause and circumstances of the death.
