Dec 04
Hang around the courts for a while, as many journalists do, and you begin to notice some odd patterns. Consider these snippets from a google search of reports on drugs convictions, for example: “16.43 grammes of cocaine valued at €1150″ “a kilogram of cocaine worth € 70000″ “962 grammes of cocaine worth €67340″ “932 grammes …
Sep 22
American tourist Kelly Jones (41) was today (Wednesday) discovered alive in a disused Church of Ireland rectory in Glencolmcille, Co Donegal. Jones, from Charleston, South Carolina, had been missing since Friday. A major rescue effort was launched after the alarm was raised when she went missing from Malinmore hostel where she was staying. Local volunteers …
Jul 24
All Ms O’Sullivan knew was the name of the witness. She had no idea what the witness statement contained, and so no idea if what the witness might say in evidence was relevant to her client. So could she please hear the evidence? Just in case something had to be challenged to defend her client’s …
Jul 16
So it turns out, Tom Connolly didn’t have the name of a new Garda mole. His announcement of “unease” in Dundalk Garda station came as a surprise to the Smithwick tribunal. Fair play demands that everyone has the chance to confront an accuser, so the tribunal didn’t purse the question at the time. They later …
Jul 01
Sometimes, it’s the questions they don’t ask. Retired superintendent Tom Connolly told the Smithwick tribunal today about his time in Dundalk, and the day two RUC officers where killed in an IRA ambush returning from the station where he worked. Days later, press reports suggested a Garda “mole” fed information to the IRA. Tribunal barrister …
Jun 07
The Smithwick tribunal will not provide overnight transcripts to lawyers because it will cost too much, tribunal chairman Peter Smithwick ruled today. Last month, 200 Words reported Smithwick’s decision not to publish daily transcripts, and the protests that followed from several legal teams. Today, having considered their arguments, Smithwick confirmed his earlier decision. He said …
May 17
Overnight transcripts from the Smithwick tribunal may not be made available to the public or to the various legal teams granted representation at the inquiry into alleged Garda collusion with the Provisional IRA. “The transcripts will not be put on the internet,” counsel for the tribunal said at today’s brief public hearing. They would also …
Apr 07
A couple of days ago, I wrote here for the first time about the ‘Corrib Cops‘ tape. One of the thigs I’ve noticed in media coverage of the story is the use of the word ‘alleged’. The ‘alleged tape’, the ‘alleged conversation’, even the ‘alleged remarks’. Garda commissioner Martin Callinan has this evening released a …
Apr 06
Once upon a time, I wrote a screenplay, based on the Morris tribunal. It’s in development, which is a polite way of saying it’s sitting on a shelf in a producer’s office somewhere, gathering dust because the producer is busy gathering funds for other projects. This is one scene from that screenlay. It’s impossible to …
Apr 05
Following a day of reportage on a tape in which Gardaí can be heard joking about raping a Shell2Sea protestor, garda commissioner Martin Callinan released this statement: “An Garda Síochána will continue to work closely with support organisations for victims of sexual crime and other victim support groups to ensure that our policy and approach …
