A man facing allegations of perpetrating a “monstrous act from the scriptures” by “savagely slaughtering” his elder sibling in an “honour slaying” at a funeral in Co Kerry is not guilty and was in fact attempting to rescue his brother during the assault, his legal counsel has informed a murder trial jury.
Patrick Dooley (36), younger to the late Thomas “Tom” Dooley and a resident of Arbutus Grove, Killarney, has denied all accusations of killing the 43-year-old at Rath Cemetery, Rathass, Tralee, Co Kerry, on October 5th, 2022.
Patrick Dooley is amongst the six individuals indicted for the murder of the father-of-seven residing at Hazelwood Drive, Killarney.
The prosecution’s closing statement on Thursday by Dean Kelly SC, suggested that the five family members and a teenager executed a horrifying murder with “medieval brutality” during the Co Kerry funeral, which was as “heart-rendingly sorrowful as it was ludicrous and senseless”.
The State asserts that the late Mr Dooley was viciously assaulted while attending a funeral in Tralee, Co Kerry, on October 5th, 2022, resulting in severe injuries described by the prosecution as barbaric, inflicted by a group wielding edged weapons and acting with “acute and deadly violence”.
The trial divulged that the victim incurred four stabbing injuries in the aftermath of the attack in the Kerry cemetery, with one slashing the femoral artery in his leg leading to a lethal loss of blood.
In his concluding address to the Central Criminal Court in Cork on Friday, Brendan Grehan SC, Patrick Dooley’s defence counsel, urged the jurors not to be distracted by any misleading statements or “fantastical embellishments”. He concurred with the prosecution that the jury should strictly adhere to the evidence in the case.
Solicitor Grehan dismissed the notion that his client was a part of a real-life Cain and Abel saga, noting throughout the proceedings that his client continuously refuted allegations of his brother’s murder. His client, Mr Kelly, had previously referenced Patrick Dooley’s engagement in a “biblical sin” during his closing statement. However, Mr Grehan stressed unequivocally that his client was not in the vein of Cain, maintaining steadfastly that he had not partaken in the killing of his sibling.
The Sue to further the police inquiries after releasing a suspect in the murder investigation of Tom Dooley was highlighted. Patrick Dooley’s stance differed greatly from his five other defendants, as he persistently conceded his presence during the assault.
Furthermore, the defence counsel expressed, “Patrick was there due to the assault on his kith and kin, to lend a helping hand. Regrettably, he has been incorrectly identified as an assailant, be it knowingly or unknowingly.” The lawyer stated that his client alone had pointed out others present in the cemetery on that day, yet the prosecution insisted on depicting Patrick Dooley as a fabricator.
Mr Grehan proposed that the case against his client ultimately hinged on one straightforward question — whether the jury was beyond any doubt convinced that Patrick Dooley was armed on the day. He stated that Patrick was amidst it all, striving to protect his brother, not assault him, and had himself suffered a wound. The accusation slung at his client that the utterance “come on now, boys” was used as a rallying cry was interpreted by Mr Grehan as potentially indicating “ease off now, boys.”
Wrapping up his defence, Brian McInerney SC, on behalf of Daniel Dooley, referenced Harry Gleeson’s case from 1941, where he was falsely condemned for murder and executed, despite his absolute innocence.
Finally, the defence lawyer stated that an official inquiry was eventually initiated by the government. The inquiry found that Gleeson’s conviction was based on inconclusive circumstantial evidence, which led to his posthumous full pardon in 2015.
Daniel Dooley, a 42-year-old resident of An Carraigin, Connolly Park, Tralee in County Kerry, has denied committing the murder of Thomas Dooley at Rath Cemetery, Rathass, Tralee, County Kerry on 5th October 2022. His defence counsel, Mr McInerney, emphasised the significance of jury responsibility in the quest for justice, suggesting injustice could occur should they not fulfil their duty. He stressed that there were no forensic links connecting Daniel Dooley to any aspect of the case, thereby highlighting a significant gap in the forensic evidence.
The trial sees four further defendants, all of whom deny murdering Thomas Dooley during the same incident. These are Thomas Dooley Snr, the victim’s 43 year-old cousin, his son Thomas Dooley Jnr aged 21, Michael Dooley, 29 years old, all residing at the Halting Site on Carrigrohane Road, Cork, and an unnamed male teenager.
There is additionally a charge against Thomas Dooley Jnr of causing serious harm to Siobhán Dooley, who was the wife of the deceased. This attack, for which he also pleads not guilty, happened on the same day in Rath Cemetery. Following the attack, Siobhán Dooley needed medical treatment consisting of 45 stitches and 30 staples for a wound that began at her right shoulder and stretched to her armpit.
The case will resume next Monday, when Thomas Creed SC, defence counsel for Thomas Dooley Snr, will deliver his closing arguments.