The jury in the trial of a father of seven who died in a Kerry graveyard in what the Prosecution allege was an �honour killing� commenced their deliberations in the case this morning. (Wed)
Six men went on trial in early June at a sitting of the Central Criminal Court in Cork charged with the murder of Thomas Dooley, at New Rath Cemetery, Rathass, Tralee on October 5th, 2022. The altercation occurred as a woman was being buried in the graveyard.
The accused in the case include Patrick Dooley (36) of Arbutus Grove, Killarney; Daniel Dooley (42) of An Carraig�n, Connolly Park, Tralee; Thomas Dooley Snr (43), Thomas Dooley Jnr (21) Michael Dooley (29) of Carrigrohane Road, Cork; and a teenager who cannot be named for legal reasons.
Patrick is the brother of the late Thomas Dooley. There of the other defendants are first cousins of the deceased. All six men have pleaded not guilty to the murder of the 42 year old.
Thomas Dooley Jnr also pleaded not guilty to a charge of intentionally or recklessly causing harm to Siobh�n Dooley, the wife of the deceased at Rath Cemetery on the same date.
The ten men and two women commenced their deliberations at 10.41am today. (Wed) A substitute juror was discharged yesterday afternoon. The case got underway on June 4th last.
Meanwhile, Dean Kelly, SC for the State, previously said that �honour� had been offended when a relationship between one of the late Mr Dooley�s daughters and one of the accused men had �broken down.� However, this proposition was challenged by counsels for the men.
Senior Counsel Tom Creed, for Thomas Dooley Snr, described as �dog whistle rhetoric� the prosecution categorisation of the case as an �honour killing.� He said that talk of �medieval violence� had no place in the case.
The trial also heard evidence from State Pathologist Dr Sally Anne Collis. She carried out a postmortem on the deceased on October 6th, 2022 in a mortuary across the street from the New Rath Cemetery.
Dr Collis visited the scene of the altercation. She noted blood stains and clotted blood on the grass in the graveyard. Gardai informed her that a machete had been recovered in grass adjacent to the cemetery.
Dr Collis said that the body of Mr Dooley showed no signs of asphyxiation. Signs of medical intervention were noted.
A stab wound was recorded on the back of the deceased. It was 5.8 centimetres in length and one centimetre in width with a depth of over six centimetres. The jury heard that the wound had damaged the smalls bones in the spine.
It also caused haemorrhage around the spinal cord. Dr Collis said that the degree of damage sustained to the back would have required moderate to severe force.
A stab wound was also noted on the right upper thigh with �significant blood loss.� This was a cut of over 10cm which transected Mr Dooley�s femoral artery. It also punctured one of his veins. There was also an incision wound to the upper leg which was 7.8cm in length.
Dr Collis said that Mr Dooley sustained a blunt force injury to the head. Haemorrhaging also occurred in the right temple area.
Dr Collis said the clothing worn by the deceased on the date the altercation took place had evidence of blood staining. His jeans were heavily blood stained while socks also had specks of blood.
Dr Collis also logged a chop wound on the right upper arm which was 25.5 cm in length, 5cm in width and 13cm in depth. She said that the chop wound was caused by a �sharp implement � the sharpness of the blade incised the wound.� Fatty tissue and muscle was exposed.
Abrasions and bruising was recorded on multiple areas in the body. Dr Collis said the cause of death was sharp force injuries resulting in blood loss. A machete which gardai found in the area of the cemetery was also shown today in court.
