Gail O'Rorke pleads not guilty to assisted suicide charge

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Gail O'Rorke has pleaded not guilty to aiding, abetting, counselling or procuring the suicide of Bernadette Ford. The proceedings were reported on 16 April 2015.

The charge alleges that she helped Bernadette Ford procure and administer a toxic substance at a location in Dublin between 20 April 2011 and 6 June 2011.

A jury of six men and six women was empanelled at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 16 April 2015. Judge Patricia Ryan warned potential jurors against serving if they could not approach the case without bias or prejudice. She told the jury to decide the case on the facts heard in court, ignore media coverage and avoid accessing internet material concerning the case.

Evidence was scheduled to begin before Judge Patrick McCartan on Monday, 20 April 2015, following legal argument that week. The trial was expected to last up to two weeks. Potential witnesses listed to the jury included gardaí, a doctor in the coroner’s office, a travel agent, a Fed Ex employee and a professor. Remy Farrell SC appeared for the prosecution, with Dermott McGuinness SC representing Gail O'Rorke.