Courts / Louth / Report

Disagreement between two psychiatrists is 'nub of case', judge tells murder trial jury

Date
2023-07-31

Stage
Finding

Primary locality
Louth

County
Louth

Summary

In a Central Criminal Court murder trial, the jury was instructed that the core issue was the differing conclusions of two psychiatrists regarding Michael Connolly, a 55‑year‑old from Louth. Connolly, who scalded and strangled cellmate Mark Lawlor, 37, in Cloverhill Prison on 23 November 2019, pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Dr Stephen Monks testified that Connolly did not understand the nature or wrongness of his actions, supporting a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. Dr Sally Linehan, however, found that Connolly understood he had killed another person, suggesting a verdict of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. Both doctors agreed Connolly suffered paranoid schizophrenia, but disagreed on the applicability of the special verdict. The jury was told to decide which psychiatrist's evidence they preferred, as this was the "nub of the case.".

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Disagreement between two psychiatrists is 'nub of case', judge tells murder trial jury. Procedural stage: finding. Findings: Not guilty by reason of insanity

When:

November 23, 2019 Hearing Or Sentence
March 2021 Other
April 2022 Other
December 2022 Other
2023-07-31 Publication

Why: Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford today told the jury that they must choose between the evidence of Dr Stephen Monks and Dr Sally Linehan in the trial of Michael Connolly (55), in order to decide whether the accused is entitled to the special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity or a verdict of manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. CNI source report