While the SFPD ruled that the November death of SF engineer and OpenAI whistleblower Suchir Balaji was a suicide, his family has their doubts. And now they’re suing the SFPD for the release of the case’s investigative records.

San Francisco’s unofficial favorite conspiracy theory for the last two months has been to question the cause of death of 26-year-old former OpenAI engineer Suchir Balaji, who was found dead in his Lower Haight apartment in mid-November. And the skepticism might be well-placed, despite SF Police quickly ruling there was no evidence of foul play.

Yet Balaji had been a primary whistleblower in an October exposé in the New York Times alleging then OpenAI had engaged in massive copyright theft in order to create its ChatGPT tool, and Balaji seemed a likely witness on their behalf on the Times’ ongoing federal lawsuit against OpenAI. Balaji’s parents commissioned a second, independent autopsy in late December, convinced their son did not take his own life.

Now the Examiner reports that Balaji’s parents have sued the SF Police Department (and the City of San Francisco) demanding all full records of the investigation.  The tweet above is from his mother, Poornima Rao. You’ll notice she’s tagged public right-wing celebrity figures like Tucker Carlson, Elon Musk, and JD Vance. But the theory that there may be some dark involvement by OpenAI has found appeal across the political spectrum, drawing calls for further investigation from Silicon Valley Congressman Ro Khanna and SF’s District 9 Supervisor Jackie Fielder.  

“In the two-plus months since their son’s passing, Petitioners and their counsel have been stymied at every turn as they have sought more information about the cause of and circumstances surrounding Suchir’s tragic death,” the parents’ legal filing says. “This petition, they hope, is the beginning of the end of that obstruction.”

The lawsuit calls out what the family’s attorney’s say is a contradiction, in determining that Balaji’s death was a suicide, but also not yet releasing a police report because  they say theu have non concluded an investigation.

The SF Medical Examiner’s Office has not released their forensic autopsy report, but that's typical, as these are often released a few months after the deceased has passed. The SF City Attorney's said in a statement to the Examiner that “Mr. Balaji’s death is a tragedy, and our hearts go out to his family,” and added, “Once we are served, we will review the complaint and respond appropriately.”

But Bay Area News Group details the family’s reasons for suspicion. They note Balaji left no suicide note, and had spoken to his family just four days before his death, giving no indication anything was wrong. They also argue that the SF Medical Examiner spent only 40 minutes in Balaji’s apartment before ruling the death suicide.  

The family did get that second autopsy performed, and the lawsuit references that it found bullet wounds that were “atypical and uncommon in suicides.” That said, that’s the only public reference to that second autopsy, whose results the parents have declined to share with news organizations who’ve requested it.  

And this lawsuit may not get far. As the Examiner points out, police records are generally not subject to Public Records Act requests.

If you or someone you know is struggling with feelings of depression or suicidal thoughts, the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline offers free, round-the-clock support, information and resources for help. Call or text the lifeline at 988, or see the 988lifeline.org website, where chat is available.

Related: Parents of OpenAI Whistleblower Don't Believe He Died By Suicide, Order Second Autopsy [SFist]

Image: @RaoPoornima via Twitter