Dead man’s family query the validity of marriage

The family of a Dublin man who died while having liposuction in Colombia questioned the validity of his marriage to his South American wife at Dublin Coroner’s Court.

The inquest into the death of father-of-one Pierre Christian Lawlor, aged 34, from Belarmine Place in Stepaside, Co Dublin, was adjourned in order to establish that his wife Andrea Galeano is the next of kin.

The court also heard that Ricardo Lancheros, the plastic surgeon who carried out the operation, is refusing to give evidence at the inquest.

Mr Lawlor died on the operating table as he underwent liposuction and extensive plastic surgery to his face at Dr Lanchero’s Bogota clinic on Sept 3, 2007. His death had been the subject of a previous inquest at the Dublin County Coroner’s Court. However, the open verdict was later quashed by the High Court.

The second inquest into his death at Dublin Coroner’s Court had previously heard that Mr Lawlor and Ms Galeano, a Venezuelan, met over the internet in early 2006 and were married with a newborn son — Zachary — by the end of the year. They were visiting her family in Colombia when the operation took place. She told the court that she did not want Mr Lawlor to have the surgery and that she believed he had taken cocaine in the days before the operation.

On her second day in the stand, solicitor for the Lawlor family James MacGuill questioned Ms Galeano about whether she had been previously married. Initially, she denied this. However, when Mr McGuill raised the matter of a marriage to a named man in Colombia in Mar 2002, Ms Galeano said that an event had taken place but that the marriage did not have legal status.

Representing Ms Galeano, barrister Ross Aylward said that her marriage to Mr Lawlor had been registered by Irish authorities. The marriage was recognised under Irish law, he said, making Ms Galeano the next of kin. It was not within the court’s jurisdiction to question the legality of the marriage, he added.

Coroner Dr Brian Farrell agreed that it was not within his jurisdiction to investigate the marriage but adjourned the inquest saying that he would like to see the Irish marriage certificate to confirm Ms Galeano’s status as next of kin.

The inquest is set to resume today.