SEVERAL serious crime investigations could be adversely affected by the decision of deputy state pathologist, Dr Khalid Jaber, to resign.

It is 20 years since the decision was taken to expand Dr John Harbison’s State Pathologist’s Office but almost immediately it looked like the one-man-show could turn into a circus.

BE IT a sunny or a dark day, the Dublin mountains offer majestic views that are attractive to tourists and locals alike. But the old, winding roads that snake up from the suburbia of Tallaght and Rathfarnham can bring you very quickly into dense forest and desolate and dangerous locations.

SOME people might think that examining dead bodies for a living would be the worst of jobs, but for Ireland’s first female state pathologist, Professor Marie Cassidy, it’s only a “small part” of how she spends her time.

A Limerick family wants Justice Minister Alan Shatter to find out why it took almost 36 years to hold an inquest into the death of their brother.

WHATEVER the New Year has in store for Irish holidaymakers, you can be sure self-catering will be involved.

A MOTHER who arrived at a scene where her 19-year-old son had been fatally attacked, saw blood on the road where he had died.

Police in the North have arrested a 39-year-old man in connection with a loyalist murder in north Belfast more than 12 years ago.

A French judge has ordered the exhumation of murder victim Sophie Toscan du Plantier to allow her family have a new post-mortem carried out.

A confession made by a Co Galway man convicted of the murder of an elderly woman over 25 years ago was the work of more than one person, a scientist told the Court of Criminal Appeal today.

THE remains of an unidentified woman found dead on a beach 12 years ago are to be exhumed, it emerged last night.

The remains of an unidentified woman found dead on beach 12 years ago are to be exhumed, it emerged tonight.

A JURY has returned a verdict of unlawful killing at an inquest into the death of Brian Murphy, the young man who died following a “vicious and sustained” assault outside the Burlington Hotel, Dublin, in August 2000.

THE Justice Department yesterday refused to be drawn on a request to exhume an unidentified grave in Wexford believed to be the burial place of missing woman Priscilla Clarke.

Dublin City Coroner's Court has referred the death of Brian Murphy almost seven years ago back to the Director of Public Prosecutions.

The preliminary hearing into the death of student Brian Murphy outside the Burlington hotel almost seven years ago takes place at the Dublin City Coroners Court this morning.

CONVICTED killer Ian Horgan will have the leniency of his 18-month sentence for the manslaughter and rape of Cork woman Rachel Kiely challenged on April 19.

Three pathologists are to give medical evidence at a preliminary hearing of the inquest of student Brian Murphy after controversy arose surrounding his cause of death, it was ruled today.

State Pathologist Marie Cassidy may be prevented from giving evidence to the inquest into the death of Dublin teenager Brian Murphy, according to media reports.

It was a mistake to allow a retired senior garda, who was criticised by the Morris Tribunal, to help hire Garda Reservists, the Tánaiste told the Dáil today.

Brian Murphy's parents are seeking funding from the Department of Justice to pay for an independent pathologist to examine their son's pathology reports.

THE family of student Brian Murphy who died after being assaulted outside a Dublin nightclub today sought the materials State Pathologist Marie Cassidy used to determine his cause of death.

The family of student Brian Murphy who died after being assaulted outside a Dublin nightclub today sought the materials State Pathologist Marie Cassidy used to determine his cause of death.

THE family of John Carthy, the young man shot dead by gardaí after a siege at his home, will today learn the conclusions of the tribunal of inquiry into his death.

A man accused of killing his wife 10 years ago has been found not guilty of her murder at the Central Criminal Court toady.

THE family of a woman whose body was found suspended from railings has called for a criminal investigation into her death to be re-opened after an inquest jury returned an open verdict.

The trial of a man accused killing his wife ten years has heard that the dead woman died as a result of being strangled.

The unavailability of the former State Pathologist Professor John Harbison will not create any difficulties in the trial of a man accused of murdering his wife 10 years ago, the Central Criminal Court was told.

DOCTORS who treated teenager Brian Murphy at St Vincent’s Hospital in Dublin after he was fatally assaulted outside a nightclub almost six years ago may provide vital clues as to the cause of his death, an inquest heard yesterday.

A coroner is to examine two conflicting reports from the country’s top pathologists in a bid to establish how student Brian Murphy died after being assaulted outside Anabel’s nightclub in Dublin, it emerged today.

The inquest into the death of 18-year-old Brian Murphy during a fight outside a Dublin nightclub six years ago is due to reopen today.

AN inquest into the death of teenager Brian Murphy outside Club Anabel nightclub almost six years ago is to be re-opened.

THE public can be forgiven for harbouring feelings of confusion amid the continuing controversy over the collapse of the trial of Dermot Laide for the manslaughter of Brian Murphy.

THE solution to the problem that has arisen because of former State pathologist Professor John Harbison’s inability to present evidence is obvious.

STATE Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy has warned of the limitations of forensic evidence in solving crime.

JUSTICE Minister Michael McDowell will meet with State Pathologist Dr Marie Cassidy in the coming days to discuss the difficulties raised by the illness of her predecessor, Prof John Harbison.

The DPP is the only person who can decide what impact the ill-health of former State Pathologist Prof John Harbison will have on future prosecutions, the Taoiseach said today.

The Labour party is demanding to know how many criminal cases may be affected by the ill health of former State Pathologist John Harbison.

LABOUR leader Pat Rabbitte last night demanded to know how many criminal cases may have to be reopened following the collapse of the State’s prosecution of Dermot Laide.

DERMOT LAIDE yesterday said he regretted the heartache caused by his involvement in an incident outside a Dublin nightclub which led to the death of teenager Brian Murphy, but insisted he was not responsible for the death.

THE parents of Brian Murphy have questioned new evidence produced by the State pathologist, Dr Marie Cassidy, on the cause of their son’s death outside Dublin’s Club Anabel six years ago.

Political Editor Harry McGee examines the implications of yesterday’s decision not to proceed with the manslaughter retrial of Dermot Laide.