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Spotter for 'murder gang' who gunned down Eamon Kelly seeks to overturn conviction
Summary
Darren Murphy, of George's Place, Dublin 1, appealed his conviction for the 2012 murder of Eamon Kelly at the Court of Appeal. In November 2021, the Special Criminal Court found Murphy guilty of murder, acting as a "spotter" in a common design, while acquitting him of possessing a Glock pistol due to insufficient evidence. In January 2022, a three-judge court imposed a life sentence on Murphy. His legal team argued that the identification process from CCTV footage was flawed, citing credibility issues with Garda witnesses who had previously accessed Pulse records regarding Murphy. They contended that the Special Criminal Court erred in admitting the footage and assessing its weight. The State responded that the identification procedure was transparent and that witness credibility was properly assessed by the trial court. The appeal also referenced Sean Connolly, who was jailed for life in 2015 for the same murder. The Court of Appeal, presided over by Mr Justice George Birmingham with Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy and Ms Justice Úna Ní Raifeartaigh, reserved its judgment in the matter.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Spotter for 'murder gang' who gunned down Eamon Kelly seeks to overturn conviction. Procedural stage: appeal
When:
- November 2021 Hearing Or Sentence
- December 4, 2012 Incident
- January 2022 Incident
- June 2018 Other
- 2023-04-21 Publication
Why: Mr Carroll said the superintendent in the case had put in place a new process regarding recognition evidence whereby gardaí were summoned to Balbriggan Garda Station in June 2018 without prior knowledge that the reason was to view CCTV. CNI source report
Case subjects
Defendant
Outcome: In January 2022, the three-judge court imposed a life sentence on Murphy, of George's Place, Dublin 1, for his role as a "spotter" in murdering 65-year-old Kelly.
Appellant
Outcome: Sean Connolly, then aged 35, of Bernard Curtis House, Bluebell, Dublin, was jailed for life by the Special Criminal Court for Kelly's murder.
Places mentioned
- Special Criminal Court
- Court of Appeal
- Furry Park Road
- The way
- George's Place
- Dublin
- Bernard Curtis House
- were summoned to Balbriggan Garda Station
- Balbriggan
Topics
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