A woman accused of helping her friend take her own life alleged to gardaí that another person was with the deceased when she took a lethal dose of barbiturates.
Bernadette Forde (51), a former human resources manager, took her own life in June 2011 using the drug pentobarbital when she was in the latter stages of a severe form of multiple sclerosis.
Her friend and carer Gail O'Rorke (43) is accused of helping her obtain and take the drug from Mexico. She is also accused of attempting to help Ms Forde get to a euthanasia clinic in Switzerland, a plan that was thwarted when the travel agent alerted gardaí.
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 Gail O'Rorke in August 2011, two months after the death of Ms Forde. He said Ms O'Rorke claimed Ms Lundy had used the deceased's credit card to buy a book online which detailed methods of suicide.
Ms O’Rorke said Ms Lundy also set up a “Hushmail” account, a private email service, to make contact with Exit International. Ms O’Rorke said the deceased was the “driving force behind this plan”.
She said that on Sunday, June 5th, 2011 she went to Ms Forde’s house. 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 accused said the plan was that she and her husband would go to a hotel in Kilkenny which had been booked and paid for by Ms Forde.“I told her if I rang on Monday and she answered, it was ok. There were other options.”
Asked by gardaí what she meant by other options, she replied: “A care home, Bernadette’s worst nightmare.”
Gardaí asked if there was anyone with Ms Forde when she took the pills. She replied that it was agreed beforehand that Ms Lundy would be there.
She said Ms Lundy later told her that they had a few drinks and at about half eight or nine Ms Forde said it was time. She said she took the drink and said “didn’t I do well”?
Ms Lundy allegedly responded that she did great.
She said Ms Lundy told her that after two minutes nothing had happened and Ms Forde began to panic that she had bought “a dud”. She then started snoring and Ms Lundy left her as she was close to death.
Ms O’Rorke said that they agreed with Ms Forde that they would all say afterwards that the deceased “was very much alive” when Ms Lundy left.
She said Ms Lundy called her later that week and told her it was the hardest thing she ever had to do and “she didn’t know how she was going to go home and act normal in front of her sons”.
Det Insp Campbell told defence counsel Dermott McGuinness SC that Ms Lundy was arrested and interviewed the next December. She replied “nothing to say” to questions about where she was when Ms Forde died and about her involvement in the preparations.
She said in a later interview that she left Ms Forde’s house at about 6pm.
Det Insp Campbell agreed that neither Ms Lundy nor anyone else, aside from the accused, was ever charged in connection with the suicide.
Ms O'Rorke also said in interview that Tom Curran, who was the representative of Exit International in Ireland, was in touch with Ms Forde before her death and had given her advice. Det Insp Campbell said Mr Curran was also interviewed but made no comment.
Ms O’Rorke (43), a taxi driver from Kilclare Gardens, Tallaght has pleaded not guilty to aiding and abetting the suicide of Ms Forde by helping her to procure and administer a toxic substance between April 20th, 2011 and June 6th, 2011 at a location in Dublin.
She also denies that she attempted to aid and abet the suicide of Ms Forde by means of attempting to arrange travel to Zurich, Switzerland for such purpose between March 10th and April 20th, 2011 and that she procured the suicide of Ms Forde between June 4th and June 6th, 2011 by means of making funeral arrangements for Ms Forde in advance of her death.
The trial continues before Judge Patrick McCartan and a jury of six men and six women.
