Kenneth Donohoe cleared of murdering Eamon Kelly

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

Kenneth Donohoe was found not guilty of murdering Eamon Kelly by the non-jury Special Criminal Court in a judgment delivered on 15 November 2021. His co-accused Darren Murphy was convicted of murder. The proceedings were reported on 15 November 2021.

Presiding judge Mr Justice Alexander Owens sat with Judge Sinéad Ní Chúlacháin and Judge Dermot Dempsey. The court found insufficient evidence to establish that Kenneth Donohoe drove the getaway car, possessed a Glock handgun or had a direct role in the murder gang. CCTV footage was of insufficient quality to identify him as the Lexus driver.

Kenneth Donohoe and Darren Murphy faced charges of murdering 65-year-old Eamon Kelly and possessing a Glock pistol with intent to endanger life at Furry Park Road, Killester, Dublin 5, on 4 December 2012. Both men denied murder and pleaded not guilty to the firearm charge.

Darren Murphy was acquitted of the firearm charge because the court found insufficient evidence that he possessed the weapon. The court remanded him in custody until 17 January 2022, when it was due to impose the mandatory life sentence for murder.

After judgment, defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC asked for Kenneth Donohoe to be discharged from the indictment. The court granted that request.