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Alleged victim died from 'freak event', defence tell manslaughter jury
Summary
In a Dublin Circuit Criminal Court trial, 31‑year‑old Ronan Byrne pleaded not guilty to the unlawful killing of 57‑year‑old James Marren, who died on 31 October 2013. Byrne is accused of fracturing Marren's leg with a bat during an altercation on 26 October 2013. The defence argued that Marren's death resulted from a "freak event" – a blood clot that formed after the leg was cast and travelled to his heart – rather than Byrne's actions. The defence counsel, Padraig Dwyer SC, emphasised that the clot was a rare complication of deep vein thrombosis and that Byrne's strike was "reasonable and proportionate" to stop Marren from rising. Dwyer also highlighted the long relationship between Byrne's mother and Marren, and that Byrne had never retaliated before. The jury was instructed to consider these points before delivering a verdict. The trial continues before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Alleged victim died from 'freak event', defence tell manslaughter jury. Charges or matters: the unlawful killing of Mr Marren (57) at that address on October 31, 2013. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- October 31, 2013 Incident
- October 26, 2013 Incident
- 2021-10-05 Publication
Why: He said if you go back far enough, you could say the cause of Mr Marren's death was his own behaviour, because he started the sequence of events by launching an attack on his client. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Charges: the unlawful killing of Mr Marren (57) at that address on October 31, 2013 (Alleged Or Contested)
Plea: Not guilty
Places mentioned
- Dublin
- Dublin Circuit Criminal Court
Topics
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