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Decision to read transcript of unseen witness exchange 'baffling' and 'completely unlawful', Aaron Brady's lawyers submit
Summary
Aaron Brady, convicted of murdering Garda Adrian Donohoe, has taken his appeal to the Court of Appeal. His lawyers argue that the prosecution failed to investigate an interruption of key witness Molly Staunton's testimony, which occurred via video link from New York during the Covid‑19 lockdown. An unseen man interrupted Staunton while she was testifying, and the court later read the jury a transcript of that exchange. Brady's counsel claims this was unlawful and prejudicial, and that the court erred by not ordering an investigation into the circumstances. The Director of Public Prosecutions contends the judge acted within his jurisdiction, that the interruption did not affect the evidence, and that the jury should not be discharged. The appeal hearing will continue tomorrow before a three‑judge panel. The case remains a landmark Irish murder trial, with Brady serving a life sentence with a 40‑year minimum.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Decision to read transcript of unseen witness exchange 'baffling' and 'completely unlawful', Aaron Brady's lawyers submit. Charges or matters: murdering Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, have argued that the prosecution had "zero appetite" to ask any questions of a key witness who had her testimony interrupted and were instead driven to keep the defendant's trial going under any circumstances; the murder of Det Gda Donohoe by an 11 to one majority jury verdict at the Central Criminal Court in August 2020. Procedural stage: appeal. Findings: Convicted
When:
- January 25, 2013 Other
- August 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
- October 2020 Hearing Or Sentence
- 2023-10-10 Publication
Case subjects
Convicted Person
Charges: murdering Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe, have argued that the prosecution had "zero appetite" to ask any questions of a key witness who had her testimony interrupted and were instead driven to keep the defendant's trial going under any circumstances; the murder of Det Gda Donohoe by an 11 to one majority jury verdict at the Central Criminal Court in August 2020 (Proven)
Finding: Convicted
Outcome: Convicted; Father-of-one Brady, who was jailed in 2020 for a minimum of 40 years for the murder of the detective, is bidding to overturn his conviction in a six-day hearing before the Court of Appeal. Brady was also sentenced to 14 years for the robbery, a sentence that will run concurrently with the life sentence.
Places mentioned
- Court of Appeal
- Central Criminal Court
- New Road
- Crossmaglen
- Armagh
- Lordship Credit Union
Topics
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