Nathan Cofnas on whether he feels responsible for Jason Arday’s death

In his first interview since the death of Jason Arday, the academic Nathan Cofnas was asked whether he feels responsible for the professor's passing. Arday, Cambridge's youngest Black professor, had been accused by Cofnas of plagiarism before his death.

Jason Arday, a prominent Cambridge professor, died after Cofnas publicly accused him of plagiarism. The dispute drew attention to how academic misconduct charges are made and who answers for them.

The interview reveals the personal weight of a public academic dispute. It also shapes how responsibility, race and reputation in academia are discussed after a figure dies during an accusation.