The Stardust inquests jury will reassemble for further discussions on Wednesday, after having concluded their fifth day of contemplations. The jury’s composition is seven women and five men who’ve spent 122 days examining evidence from the inquests into the tragic nightclub fire that ended 48 lives, ranging from 16 to 27 years old, in North Dublin on the early morning of February 14, 1981.
The jury reviewed testimonies of 373 witnesses, with 190 providing direct oral evidence. Accounts from other witnesses who couldn’t attend the inquests were incorporated into the records. The jury is obligated to produce 48 verdicts, which should detail the name, location, date, cause of death of each deceased, plus an additional verdict describing the conditions leading to the deaths.
Dr Myra Cullinane, the Dublin coroner, instructed jurors to weigh evidence neutrally and legalistically, while disregarding emotions and avoid time pressure in drawing their conclusions. While she clarified the possible outcomes for each death verdict—accidental, misadventure, unlawful killing, open verdict, or a narrative verdict— she also specified the boundaries for considering an unlawful killing verdict. She reminded the jurors that their roles don’t involve ascribing criminal accountability or civil responsibility to any individual.