Courts / Dublin / Report
Lawyers for Stardust families urge jury to return unlawful killing verdict
Summary
In the final stage of the Stardust nightclub inquest, lawyers for the bereaved families urged the jury to return a verdict of unlawful killing. Michael O'Higgins SC highlighted the credibility of club manager Eamon Butterly as "shredded beyond redemption," citing contradictory evidence about exit‑door locking and the lack of fire‑safety supervision. He argued that the verdict should focus on how the victims died rather than assigning blame. Des Fahy KC stressed that a culture of door‑locking had existed for years, with doormen trained only to simulate locked exits, and that this failure, along with unsuitable carpet tiles and inadequate staff preparation, contributed to the deaths. Both counsel called for the jury to acknowledge the unlawful nature of the deaths and restore dignity to the 48 victims. The inquest will continue tomorrow at the Rotunda Hospital.
Who, what, where, when and why
What: Report matter: Lawyers for Stardust families urge jury to return unlawful killing verdict. Procedural stage: trial
When:
- 2024-03-07 Publication
Why: "These 48 people lost their dignity because of the cruel and inhumane way in which they died. CNI source report
Places mentioned
- Rotunda Hospital
Topics
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