The Offaly GP of Emvale, Bachelor’s Walk in Tullamore has spent the past few weeks defending an allegation that she unlawfully took her life through the excessive administration of a sedative.
Just before the seven women and five men of the jury filed back into the court at 11.15, Bernadette Scully’s sister told her to just breathe.
The packed courtroom fell silent. Her family held hands in the public gallery.
Moments later, she was a free woman – the jury having unanimously decided she was not guilty of her daughter’s manslaughter.
She smiled while her family cried. Her partner Andrius raced to the dock and was the first to embrace her with tears in his eyes.
She had been accused of killing her 11-year-old daughter Emily through an act of gross negligence involving the excessive administration of the sedative Chloral hydrate on Sept 15th 2012.
Before they began their deliberations, the jurors were asked to leave all emotion to one side.
They reached their verdict after 4 hours of deliberations
Outside the court, Ms. Scully was swamped by family and friends. The prosecutor Tara Burns shook her hand and wished her well.
