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Prisoner who strangled cellmate found guilty of manslaughter by diminished responsibility

Summary

In a Central Criminal Court hearing on 1 August 2023, a jury found 55‑year‑old Michael Connolly guilty of manslaughter by diminished responsibility for the death of 37‑year‑old Mark Lawlor in Cloverhill Prison in 2019. Connolly, originally from Louth, had scalded Lawlor with hot water before strangling him. He had pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury considered conflicting psychiatric evidence: Dr Stephen Monks and Dr Sally Linehan both diagnosed paranoid schizophrenia but disagreed on whether Connolly was entitled to a special verdict of not guilty by reason of insanity. The jury reached a 10‑2 majority verdict of manslaughter. The case was adjourned to 2 October for sentencing and victim impact statements. No murder conviction was secured. The trial highlighted the dispute over psychiatric testimony and the application of diminished responsibility.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Prisoner who strangled cellmate found guilty of manslaughter by diminished responsibility. Charges or matters: the murder of Mr Lawlor by reason of insanity. Procedural stage: trial

When:

• October 2 Adjournment
• Friday, November 22, 2019 Adjournment
• Saturday, November 23 Adjournment
• March 2021 Other
• April 2022 Other
• December 2022 Other
• 2023-08-01 Publication

Why: Yesterda, trial judge Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford told the jury that they had to choose between the expert psychiatric evidence of Dr Stephen Monks and Dr Sally Linehan in order to decide whether the accused was 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

Case subjects

Places mentioned

Topics

Stage Trial Violent Crime

Read the original CNI report