Courts / Kildare / Report

Deceased's injuries caused by one blow, pathologist tells baseball bat murder trial

Summary

The Central Criminal Court trial of Zoltan Almasi, 49, for the 2014 death of Joseph Dunne, heard expert testimony from retired pathologist Dr Michael Curtis. Almasi, a Serbian-born man from Naas, has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter. The jury examined a wooden baseball bat, which Dr Curtis stated could have caused Dunne's fatal injury from a single blow wielded with severe force. Testifying regarding the post-mortem examination conducted seven years ago, Dr Curtis described a comminuted, depressed fracture on the upper back of Dunne's head, where the skull bone was shattered and driven inwards. He confirmed that the injuries resulted from one act of force, causing the brain's bridging veins to split and bleed, leading to rapid death from severe traumatic head injury. The court also heard that Dunne had struck Almasi's parked Mercedes van before Almasi emerged with the bat. The prosecution has now closed its case. The trial continues before Mr Justice Michael White and a jury of seven men and four women. No verdict or sentence has been delivered, and the matter remains at the trial stage.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Deceased's injuries caused by one blow, pathologist tells baseball bat murder trial. Charges or matters: murder but guilty to Mr Dunne's manslaughter at Harbour View on May 16 2014. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• May 16 2014 Other
• 2021-06-15 Publication

Why: He explained that this meant that the skull bone had been shattered and driven inwards. CNI source report

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

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Read the original CNI report