A man found shot dead on the day he was due to stand trial for murder asked his friend to kill him, the trial of his friend has been told. The dead man took out an insurance policy for £100,000 a month before his death.
In the Central Criminal Court Mr Paul McCarthy (37) of Chamber Street, Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr Martin Comerford (36) of Charlemont Street, Ranelagh, Dublin, on April 26th, 1999.
Opening the case before a jury yesterday, Mr Paul McDermott, prosecuting, described the circumstances as "bizarre". Mr Comerford's body was found lying in the foetal position near the bottom of a laneway at the rear of Ontario Terrace, off Lower Mount Pleasant Avenue, Ranelagh. On the day he was shot, he was due to go on trial in the Central Criminal Court for the murder of a Dublin man, Mr Anthony "Chester" Beatty.
Mr Comerford, originally from the Coombe, was married and had three children. Until Easter 1999 he was employed as a courier, but at that time also, he was out on bail awaiting trial for the murder of Mr Beatty.
Mr McDermott said that on the Saturday and Sunday before the trial, Mr Comerford visited a number of pubs near his home with family and friends. On Sunday, April 25th, he met Mr McCarthy, "who had been a friend of his of very long standing".
According to an account given by Mr McCarthy to gardai, "of deep concern to Mr Comerford was the prospect that at the trial that was to take place he would be convicted for the murder of Mr Beatty".
Mr Comerford was "very anxious about that" and it would appear from what Mr McCarthy said that what ultimately led to his death was his apprehension that he would have to serve a very lengthy sentence, he thought possibly up to 20 years.
"It would appear that Mr Comerford wanted to end his life and wanted Mr McCarthy to end it for him by shooting him," Mr McDermott said. "In law that is murder," the prosecution counsel continued, "because if one shoots someone with the intention to kill, even though it is at their request, it is murder."
Mr McDermott said that when he was arrested, Mr Mr McCarthy admitted to gardai that he shot Mr Comerford.
In the course of interviews in custody, over a 48-hour period, "the reason for the killing varied", but it "ultimately culminated in the admission that he shot Mr Comerford at Mr Comerford's own wish".
The trial continues today.