Third party with suicide victim, says friend

A woman accused of helping her friend take her own life told gardaí that another person was with the deceased when she took a lethal dose of barbiturates.

Bernadette Forde, 51, a former human resources manager with Guinness, took her life in June 2011 using the drug pentobarbital when she was suffering from the latter stages of multiple sclerosis.

Gail O’Rorke, aged 43, a taxi driver from Kilclare Gardens, Tallaght, has pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court to aiding and abetting the suicide of Ms Forde by helping her to procure and administer a toxic substance between April 20, 2011 and June 6, 2011 in Dublin.

She also denies trying to aid and abet the suicide of Ms Forde by means of attempting to arrange travel to Zurich, Switzerland, for such purpose between March 10 and April 20, 2011 and that she procured the suicide of Ms Forde between June 4 and June 6, 2011, by means of making funeral arrangements for Ms Forde in advance of her death.

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Yesterday, the trial heard that Ms O’Rorke told gardaí in interview that another friend, Mary Lundy, had got in contact with euthanasia organisation Exit International on behalf of Ms Forde.

Detective Inspector Sean Campbell said that he interviewed Ms O’Rorke in August 2011, two months after the death of Ms Forde. He said Ms O’Rorke claimed that Ms Lundy had used the deceased’s credit card to buy a book online which detailed methods of suicide.

Ms O’Rorke said that Ms Lundy also set up a ‘Hushmail’ account, a private email service, to make contact with Exit International. Ms O’Rorke said that the deceased was the “driving force behind this plan.”

She said she went to Ms Forde’s house on June 5, 2011. She said she washed her and talked about “some very important things”. Several family members then came to visit.

“Everyone knew what she was doing, they all knew,” Ms O’Rorke said.

The prosecution has now concluded its evidence. The jury will learn tomorrow if there will be defence witnesses.

The trial continues before Judge Patrick McCartan and a jury.

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