Jury sent home after five‑hour deliberations in Josie Ray murder trial

The jury in the murder trial of Hasan Ali Gori has been sent home for the weekend after nearly five hours of deliberation without reaching a verdict.

Gori, 52, has pleaded not guilty to the killing of 89‑year‑old Josephine “Josie” Ray, who died on 4 August 2024 at her home in St Joseph’s Park, Nenagh, Co Tipperary. State pathologist Dr Yvonne McCartney testified that Ray died from strangulation and smothering, sustaining two broken neck bones and 44 bruises across her body.

Senior prosecuting counsel Lorcan Connolly highlighted bruises on Ray’s forearms as evidence of her struggle and noted that Gori’s DNA was found on her right hand and under her fingernails. He argued Gori had motive and opportunity, citing threats to evict him and loss of social‑welfare payments linked to Mary Ray, Josie’s intellectually disabled daughter.

Defence senior counsel Aidan Doyle referenced prior neighbour testimony about ongoing disputes between Josie, Mary and Gori, and a past incident where Mary allegedly threatened Josie with a knife.

The jury, which retired last Wednesday and did not sit on Thursday, has now deliberated a total of four hours, forty‑six minutes after three weeks of evidence at the Central Criminal Court in Limerick.

Source: Limerick Post. Photo: Quang Vuong / Pexels.