PLOUGHSHARES TRIAL VERDICT DAY *8.30am Vigil *9.45am Peace Walk *10.30am Court 23 Jury directed&sent

by Jon Glackin - Street Seen Sun Nov 06, 2005 16:36

Lets hope the truth can finally come out that Five people commited no 'crime' in raising awareness of Irelands complicity in the Iraq 'War'

Lets hope that anyone who is free can at some point of the day come down to show their solidarity...

Thank You for all your commitment, dedication and efforts Nuin, Karen, Deirdre, Ciaron & Damian...

by Ploughshares Defence Mon Nov 07, 2005 08:32 087 918 4552

PRESS RELEASE
********************
Jury To Give Verdict At Shannon 5 Trial In Dublin Four Courts

The jury in the trial of five Catholic Worker peace
activists are due to give a verdict this Monday
November 7th at Dublin's Four Courts. Deirdre Clancy, Damien Moran, Nuin Dunlop, Ciaron O'Reilly, and Karen Fallon have been charged with two counts of criminal damage arising from their disarmament of a US Navy plane at Shannon Airport prior to the US invasion of Iraq, on February 3rd 2003.
They face up to a maximum of ten years in prison if
convicted.

The jury are due to hear closing statements from the prosecuting and defence counsels on Monday morning at 10.30am in Court 23. This will take place after Judge Donagh MacDonagh makes a ruling on whether the accused defence applies in law. Judge MacDonagh is expected to charge the jury on Monday afternoon. If a unanimous verdict cannot be reached they will be asked to return with a 10-2 majority to convict or acquit.

Over the course of the trial, which commenced on
October 24th, the 12 jurors have heard testimony from the five accused as to why they believed they had a 'lawful excuse' for engaging in an act to disable the US Navy plane.

On Wednesday last the jury testimony from Iraq war combat veteran Jimmy Massey on how he witnessed breaches of the Geneva Conventions, including the indiscriminate killing of at least 36 innocent civilians in Baghdad.

On the same day Mr. Geoff Oxley OBE, a retired Royal Airforce Group Captain and military expert, explained to the court before the jury that logistics supply planes were a legitimate target in a time of war and that the decommisioning of this plane at Shannon would have initiated an unpredictable chain of events, helping to save lives and property.

Testimony was also heard from Kathy Kelly, twice
nominated for the Nobel peace prize and co-founder of Voices in the Wilderness, a group extabished in 1996 to stand in solidarity with Iraqi civilians by breaking the UN economic sanctions.

On Thursday last the jury heard former UN Assistant Secretary General Denis Halliday testifying about the destruction of Iraqi lives and health infrastructue as a result of UN economic sanctions, which he termed as 'genocidal', before resigning his position as UN Humanitarian Co-ordinator in 1997.

A peace walk from the Spire to the Four Courts to
commemorate the Iraq War dead, will continue Monday and Tuesday next at 9.30pm.

More details on the last 8 days of trial can be found
at the following link:

http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=72668

More information at 087 9184552 or 087 9638398

by Mary Kelly Mon Nov 07, 2005 11:16

to all the defendants,and hope the jury vote to uphold Irish Law which supports your action.
Solidarity,
Mary Kelly

by Jon Glackin Mon Nov 07, 2005 16:41

Trial has collapsed. Possible retrial in 6 months...