A JURY has recorded a verdict of death by misadventure at the inquest on a prisoner in Mountjoy Jail, Dublin. Mark Keogh (23) was found unconscious in his cell and pronounced dead at the Mater Hospital on January 29th, 1995, the morning after returning from day release.
Another prisoner, Jeffrey Towell, told the Dublin Coroner's Court that he shared a single cell with Keogh for two months due to overcrowding in Mountjoy. When he tried to wake his cell mate, he said his lips were black and face purple.
He said he gave mouth to mouth resuscitation until a prison medical team arrived in the cell. Towell said Keogh was in good spirits after returning from release and kept on talking about getting off drugs for the sake of his child. While with Keogh in prison, Towell said he did not see him possess any drugs, although they were both chronic heroin addicts.
Dr John Harbison, Chief State Pathologist, said the cause of death was respiratory depression brought on by opiate poisoning. He said he found traces of methadone and morphine in the dead man's body.