INQUEST TO GET GUIDELINES ON WITNESS QUESTIONING
Inquest to get guidelines on witness questioning
BY STAFF REPORTERS
LAWYERS appearing at the inquest into the Omagh bombing are to draw up guidelines on the way police witnesses should be cross-examined in future, following complaints that some have faced lines of questioning that have challenged the way officers handled the response to the bomb emergency.
Some families were said to have found the line of questioning objectionable, and raised fears that the inquest was being turned into a witchhunt aimed at the police.
Objections to the questioning were raised by a solicitor on behalf of some of the families, and a barrister on behalf of the RUC chief constable.
The coroner declined to make any ruling on evidence heard so far, but legal representatives are expected to draw up a skeleton outline of the type of questioning they intended to follow. Submissions will be made next week.
Initially, police officers did not have legal representation, but this is now available to them if they wish to avail of it.
To date the evidence has focused on setting the scene and outlining police response to the blast.
However, today (Thursday) the first evidence relating to individual deaths is scheduled to start. The deaths of each of the victims will be dealt with in turn.
While the inquest was expected to last four weeks, it now looks increasingly likely that it will stretch into October.
Evidence continued to unfold over the past week, with some harrowing scenes at the Coroner's Court at Omagh Leisure Complex.
Among the evidence has been graphic video tapes recorded within minutes of the blast on August 15 1998.
The coroner, Mr. John Leckey, pre-warned those at the inquest that they might find the scenes distressing. Many left the inquest room to watch in the privacy of an annex, where doctors, nurses and counsellors were on hand.
Many others simply could not watch the videos at all.
For those who could remain there was a stunned silence as the pictures were shown.
On one video which has never before been seen publicly the voice of the Australian tourist making it could be heard to say "this is unbelievable this is madness".
Equally harrowing for the relatives were photographs taken by police of the scene. Again, the coroner advised they did not make pleasant viewing.
Another major point to emerge from the inquest was the ruling by the coroner that he would not call Omagh councillor, Mr. Francis Mackey, or the man accused of conspiracy to cause the explosion to give evidence. Families had asked him to call the men as witnesses.
Mr. Leckey said he had contacted both men, but had received no initial reply. Later, a faxed message from the 32 Count Sovereignty Committee said Mr Mackey would not give evidence if called to do so.
The corner said there was no evidential basis on which to call Mr. Mackey.
Those attending the inquest were told that in addition to hearing evidence from various people, sections of the pathologist reports into the deaths would also be given.
In the past week a clearer picture has emerged of how the bomb warning was received and relayed to police in Omagh.
So, too, have details of the horrific nature of what occurred, and so traumatic has been some of the evidence, that some of the witness, both police and civilian, have left the inquest in tears.
On the opening day of the hearing a policewoman fainted at the back of the court.
Throughout the inquest so far, the bereaved families have shown great stoicism in the face of painful evidence. Particularly disturbing was the showing of the three unedited amateur videos of the first minutes after the 300lb car bomb detonated.
The following day photographs of the scene were shown, including several showing the dead, wrapped in sheeting and cloth, who had to be moved to an alleyway and a shop floor prior to being taken to the temporary mortuary at Lisanelly Army Barracks.
Outlining the manner in which details would be given in respect of each death, Mrs. Gemma Loughran, who is presenting evidence on behalf of Mr. Leckey, said that there had been concern among relatives of those who died as to the amount of evidence which would be given in court by the pathologist.
She said that in the majority of cases "multiple injuries due to a bomb" was given as the cause of death.
She also revealed that the only other part of the pathology or postmortem reports which would be read out were contained in the commentary, which amounted to 10 lines.
Explaining the evidence further, the coroner said that the commentary was the pathologist's summary in layman's terms of what the principal findings were.
"lt would be unusual to go into the minutiae of the post-mortem findings. There may be cases where the families wish to do that. In such a case the pathologist will be here and will be ready to answer any questions and specific details," Mr. Leckey told the Inquest.
He went on to say that his examination of the postmortem evidence would not extend beyond the medical cause of death and the summary.
"I hope that will be of help to the families," he said.
BY STAFF REPORTERS
LAWYERS appearing at the inquest into the Omagh bombing are to draw up guidelines on the way police witnesses should be cross-examined in future, following complaints that some have faced lines of questioning that have challenged the way officers handled the response to the bomb emergency.
Some families were said to have found the line of questioning objectionable, and raised fears that the inquest was being turned into a witchhunt aimed at the police.
Objections to the questioning were raised by a solicitor on behalf of some of the families, and a barrister on behalf of the RUC chief constable.
The coroner declined to make any ruling on evidence heard so far, but legal representatives are expected to draw up a skeleton outline of the type of questioning they intended to follow. Submissions will be made next week.
Initially, police officers did not have legal representation, but this is now available to them if they wish to avail of it.
To date the evidence has focused on setting the scene and outlining police response to the blast.
However, today (Thursday) the first evidence relating to individual deaths is scheduled to start. The deaths of each of the victims will be dealt with in turn.
While the inquest was expected to last four weeks, it now looks increasingly likely that it will stretch into October.
Evidence continued to unfold over the past week, with some harrowing scenes at the Coroner's Court at Omagh Leisure Complex.
Among the evidence has been graphic video tapes recorded within minutes of the blast on August 15 1998.
The coroner, Mr. John Leckey, pre-warned those at the inquest that they might find the scenes distressing. Many left the inquest room to watch in the privacy of an annex, where doctors, nurses and counsellors were on hand.
Many others simply could not watch the videos at all.
For those who could remain there was a stunned silence as the pictures were shown.
On one video which has never before been seen publicly the voice of the Australian tourist making it could be heard to say "this is unbelievable this is madness".
Equally harrowing for the relatives were photographs taken by police of the scene. Again, the coroner advised they did not make pleasant viewing.
Another major point to emerge from the inquest was the ruling by the coroner that he would not call Omagh councillor, Mr. Francis Mackey, or the man accused of conspiracy to cause the explosion to give evidence. Families had asked him to call the men as witnesses.
Mr. Leckey said he had contacted both men, but had received no initial reply. Later, a faxed message from the 32 Count Sovereignty Committee said Mr Mackey would not give evidence if called to do so.
The corner said there was no evidential basis on which to call Mr. Mackey.
Those attending the inquest were told that in addition to hearing evidence from various people, sections of the pathologist reports into the deaths would also be given.
In the past week a clearer picture has emerged of how the bomb warning was received and relayed to police in Omagh.
So, too, have details of the horrific nature of what occurred, and so traumatic has been some of the evidence, that some of the witness, both police and civilian, have left the inquest in tears.
On the opening day of the hearing a policewoman fainted at the back of the court.
Throughout the inquest so far, the bereaved families have shown great stoicism in the face of painful evidence. Particularly disturbing was the showing of the three unedited amateur videos of the first minutes after the 300lb car bomb detonated.
The following day photographs of the scene were shown, including several showing the dead, wrapped in sheeting and cloth, who had to be moved to an alleyway and a shop floor prior to being taken to the temporary mortuary at Lisanelly Army Barracks.
Outlining the manner in which details would be given in respect of each death, Mrs. Gemma Loughran, who is presenting evidence on behalf of Mr. Leckey, said that there had been concern among relatives of those who died as to the amount of evidence which would be given in court by the pathologist.
She said that in the majority of cases "multiple injuries due to a bomb" was given as the cause of death.
She also revealed that the only other part of the pathology or postmortem reports which would be read out were contained in the commentary, which amounted to 10 lines.
Explaining the evidence further, the coroner said that the commentary was the pathologist's summary in layman's terms of what the principal findings were.
"lt would be unusual to go into the minutiae of the post-mortem findings. There may be cases where the families wish to do that. In such a case the pathologist will be here and will be ready to answer any questions and specific details," Mr. Leckey told the Inquest.
He went on to say that his examination of the postmortem evidence would not extend beyond the medical cause of death and the summary.
"I hope that will be of help to the families," he said.
Further Information
Publisher: TYRONE CONSTITUTION
Ref: TC/1522
Published Date: 14-Sep-00
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