Coroner Redacted Chester Bennington’s Previous Suicide Attempt From Report

Chester Bennington engaged in a bizarre suicide attempt nine months before he hanged himself. Though the Los Angeles County Coroner reportedly knew of the incident, it was redacted from the autopsy report.

Insiders familiar with the investigation told TMZ that the Linkin Park singer’s widow, Talinda Bennington, told the Coroner’s investigator her husband consumed a large quantity of alcohol, hog-tied himself and threw himself in the pool in November 2016. She said Bennington changed his mind during the attempt and was able to break free from the restraint and climb to out of the water.

Talinda’s lawyer, Ed McPherson, reportedly contacted the county lawyer for the Coroner on December 1 and asked that the information be redacted.

The source said the Coroner’s lawyer refused at first, but McPherson persisted, arguing that “marital privilege” should protect the information from being made public. The Coroner’s lawyer agreed and the passage was redacted from the autopsy report.

Interestingly, another suicide threat was not redacted from the final report. There is a passage, which TMZ claims immediately precedes the redacted information, describing an event in 2006 when Bennington consumed a large amount of alcohol and left the house with a gun, threatening to kill himself.

Assistant Chief Coroner Ed Winter tells TMZ, “The report stands as is.”

Bennington’s autopsy and toxicology results were revealed on Tuesday, showing the rocker had both alcohol and MDMA, also known as ecstasy, in his system when he hanged himself.

Authorities also reportedly found a prescription bottle of Zolpidem, a generic Ambien, on his dresser. There was also a pint glass of Corona, which was less than half full, and an empty bottle of Stella Artois.

He was found dead at his private residence in Palos Verdes Estates in Los Angeles County on July 20. He was reportedly discovered by an employee as he was hanging from a bedroom door by a black Hugo Boss belt. No suicide note was found, and the 41-year-old was home alone before his body was located.