Dubliner Charged in Journalist’s Slaying

A 32-year-old Dublin man was charged with the murder of Veronica Guerin, Ireland’s top investigative reporter, who was shot to death by a motorcycle passenger in an apparent contract killing in June. Paul Ward said nothing when the charge was read to him in court in Dublin. He has been in custody since Oct. 18 on charges of conspiracy to murder Guerin, who was the crime correspondent of the Sunday Independent, but the earlier charges were withdrawn when the new charge was made against him. Police believe that Guerin’s killers were hired to prevent publication of any further exposes about the Dublin criminal underworld.