Wait A Minute: Actor Lance Reddick’s Cause of Death Disputed by Lawyer

Fans and colleagues of The Wire and John Wick actor Lance Reddick were stunned when he was pronounced dead at age 60..

Reddick’s cause of death was listed as ischemic heart disease and atherosclerotic coronary artery disease, but, his longtime attorney, James Hornstein, is disputing the details of the death certificate.

“I have represented Lance Reddick for many years and continue to represent his wife, Stephanie,” Hornstein said in a statement to People. The coroner statement on the death certificate is not a result of an autopsy. No autopsy was performed on Lance. To my knowledge, no medical examination of Lance during his lifetime ever indicated such condition.”

It is common practice for death certificated to be considered only “pending” and not formally executed until a proper autopsy is completed.

“Lance was the most physically fit person I’ve ever known,” Hornstein continued. “He exercised daily at his home gym, including extensive cardio work, and the availability of gym facilities was a contractual requirement for his work away from home. He ate as if a dietician was monitoring his every meal. The information appearing on the death certificate is wholly inconsistent with his lifestyle.”

Reddick’s work ethic and commitment to his life’s work was well documented in the weeks leading up to his untimely passing. He and the cast of John Wick 4 made a stop at The Kelly Clarkson Show to promote their film and Reddick spoke to the bond between he, Keanu Reeves and the other core members of the franchise.

“Family’s such a huge theme in this particular film, more than any others [in the series]—literal family. But also, you see, with the three of us, that it’s not just the family you’re born into, but the family you’ve created, and how much we really are family,” Reddick said.

“On behalf of Stephanie Reddick, the death certificate information is not corroborated and is inconsistent with the facts known to the family,” Hornstein said.