Two gunshot wounds killed Clondalkin man, court hears
A 25-year-old Clondalkin man died after receiving two gunshot wounds to the chest, which caused haemorrhaging to the heart, lungs and spleen, the Central Criminal Court has heard.
The State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, said the deceased man suffered seven gunshot wounds to his chest cavity caused by two bullets. "All the wounds were caused by two bullets, with one bullet remaining in the body, which was discovered in his chest," Dr Cassidy said.
Mr Brian Kenny (aged 36) of Kilshane Cross, Finglas, Dublin, and Mr Thomas Hinchon (aged 25) of St Ronan’s Close, Clondalkin, Dublin, have denied the murder of 25-year-old Dubliner Mr Jonathan O’Reilly of St Mark’s Gardens, Clondalkin, on April 17, 2004.
Mr Kenny also pleaded not guilty to threatening to kill Mr Joseph O’Callaghan on April 17, 2004, in Finglas. Mr Kenny denies the possession of a firearm, a Berratta single automatic shotgun, on May 10, 2004, at Michelstown Cottage, Kilshane Cross, Dublin.
He also pleaded not guilty to the possession of ammunition, which consisted of shotgun cartridges, on the same date. Mr Hinchon pleaded not guilty also to threatening to kill Mr Joseph O’Callaghan on April 17, 2004.
It is alleged by the prosecution that the deceased man was shot outside Clover Hill Prison as he sat in a BMW car. A motorcycle drew up beside the car and a number of shots were fired through the car glass and struck Jonathon O’Reilly, mortally wounding him, the State alleges.
Dr Cassidy said the deceased man was 6ft tall with dark, blonde hair and suffered seven gunshot wounds to his chest cavity, caused by two bullets. "All the wounds were caused by two bullets with one bullet remaining in the body which was discovered in his chest," Dr Cassidy said.
The first gunshot passed through the left forearm and then entered the chest cavity injuring the liver, lung, left heart and the spleen, Dr Cassidy told the jury.
"When the (first) bullet entered the chest, it continued through the rib cage shattering the sixth rib," Dr Cassidy said. "Fragments of the rib came through the lung and exited the left chest pushing the skin outwards," she added.
"The second bullet entered through the back of the deceased above the buttock area and the track of the bullet continued from back to front of the body, puncturing the diaphragm, the spleen and the left lung", Dr Cassidy said.
This bullet, Dr Cassidy said, exited the chest and then entered the left upper arm before it passed through the right middle finger.
Dr Cassidy said Mr O’Reilly died from two gunshot wounds to his trunk, which inflicted seven wounds to the body. She said the second gunshot wound was most likely inflicted when Mr O’Reilly was slumped over in an attempt to protect himself from his assailant.
Death, she said, was due to "blood loss and damage to the internal organs, namely the lungs and heart" caused by two gun shot wounds to the trunk.
Detective Garda Thomas Carey, attached to the ballistics department of the Garda Síochána, told the jury that he attended the post mortem of the deceased and took possession of the discharged bullet removed from the chest cavity by Dr Cassidy.
Det Gda Carey said the bullet taken from the deceased’s body was of made of lead, before producing the "tiny" bullet to the jury.
"It has been discharged through the barrel of a gun," the detective said. The type of weapon used to fire such a bullet, Det Gda Carey suggested, would generally be a revolver.
A woman who was visiting Clover Hill Prison on the day of the fatal shooting told the court that there was "chaos" after the incident. Eileen McLoughlin said "there were people running saying someone had been shot."
Ms McLoughlin said she was standing outside the waiting room of the prison when she heard two loud bangs before she heard what she thought was a car screech off.
When she walked up to the roadway, Ms McLoughlin said she saw a green car with two paramedics working on a man lying on the road.
The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael Peart.
