Procedures will be used to ensure an inquest into the death of a man shot by gardai during an armed raid in Inchicore will be held in a "transparent manner", the Dublin City Coroner, Dr Brian Farrell, said yesterday. He fixed October 26th as the date for the full hearing into the death of Mr John Morris (26), of Sundale Close, Tallaght.
The inquest has been adjourned several times and the arrangements have been the subject of an appeal to the Supreme Court. At an earlier hearing, Dr Farrell ruled that gardai involved can give their evidence from behind a screen and be identified only by a letter. Guns used by gardai in the incident will not be identified during the hearing of the case.
When the case was mentioned yesterday, Mr Paul Carroll, for the family, said they were concerned about the procedure for empanelling a jury for a hearing at the Coroner's Court. He asked that the procedure should be made as transparent as possible.
Counsel for the Garda Commissioner asked that Garda witnesses should not be identified and that the media be prohibited from taking photographs. The coroner said he felt this would not be possible given the public nature of the inquiry.
The Garda case for anonymity is based on a death threat against a garda involved in the shooting. It was telephoned to RTE by a person claiming to represent the INLA.