THE JURY in the case of a Dublin man accused of murdering his neighbour has heard that the dead man’s father will give evidence about what happened in the moments after his son had been shot.
It was the opening day of the trial of Aidan Finnegan (30) of Whitestown Avenue, Hartstown in Blanchardstown at the Central Criminal Court yesterday.
He has pleaded not guilty to murdering Dara McCormack (22).
Senior prosecuting counsel Bernard Condon SC told the jury that Thomas McCormack arrived on the scene in Blanchardstown in February 2006 as his son Dara lay dying on the ground.
Dara McCormack had been shot close to his Hartstown home and, despite being rushed to Connolly Hospital Blanchardstown, died a short time later from his injuries.
Mr Condon told the five men and seven women of the jury that Mr McCormack had lived at Whitestown Park with his family, and he and Mr Finnegan “were known to each other for a considerable period of their lives”.
On Saturday February 11th, 2006, Mr McCormack returned home from work at about 8.30pm. He asked his sister to iron his shirt before he went out again for the night.
He had made a number of phone calls and spoke to his father before leaving the house at about 9pm.
A number of young boys were playing football on a green area, and one of them will give evidence that he kicked the ball and it hit Mr McCormack in the head as he passed by, the jury was told.
A short time later, gunfire was heard and a number of people ran out of their houses to Whitestown Park to find Mr McCormack lying on the ground after being shot.
His father, Thomas McCormack, also appeared on the scene.
“You will hear his evidence of what transpired with his son in the moments after he had received a catastrophic injury that resulted in his death,” Mr Condon said.
He told the jury that they would also hear evidence from the State Pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, that Mr McCormack died from blood loss and multiple organ damage due to shotgun wounds to the trunk of his body.
The trial judge, Garrett Sheehan, then told the jury that an “issue” had arisen “that I have to determine” and instructed them to return to the court again on Thursday morning next.
The case is expected to last two weeks.