Category: Landmark Case

104 – Brazen: The murder of Rose Farrelly

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Controversial Case, Irish Crime, Landmark Case, Life Sentence, murder, sex crimes

57 year old Rose Farrelly was found dead in her own home on the morning of the 15th February 1993. It appeared that the house had been broken into, and then the single woman had been beaten, sexually assaulted and strangled to death.

The trial for Rose’s murder was the first in Ireland to use DNA evidence.But the reason for Rose’s murder remains unclear – it appears the answer may be the most frightening of all.

He did it because he could.

Continue reading “104 – Brazen: The murder of Rose Farrelly” →

100 – Provocation & the Gay Panic defence

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Human Rights, Irish Crime, Landmark Case, Mental Health, Povocation, sex crimes, US Crime

There has been a lot of progress in relation to equal rights and protections for members of the LGBTQ+ in Ireland. However, despite decriminalisation in 1993, and the passage of Marriage Equality in 2015, there is still much to do. In addition to requiring effective hate speech legislation, the defence of provocation does allow a person accused of murder to claim that a romantic or sexual advance by an LGBTQ+ person resulted in a loss of control leading to the killing of that person.

In this episode, we explore cases where this partial defence was employed at trial and appeal: the killing of John Roche in 1982, the murder of Gerard Hackett in 2002, and the kidnap and murder of Matthew Shepard in Wyoming in 1998.


Reasearch & Writing by Eileen MacFarlene of the Crimelapse Podcast

Continue reading “100 – Provocation & the Gay Panic defence” →

98 – A Question of Disorder: The murders of Anne & Annie Gillespie

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Insanity Defence, Intimate Partner Violence, Irish Crime, Landmark Case, Mental Health, murder, Public Inquiry

In 1988, Anne Gillespie was 18 years old. She was looking forward to embarking on adult life. There was just one problem – her boyfriend of over three years had begun to behave horribly. She decided to end things. Her boyfriend, 22 year old John Gallagher, decided that if Anne would no longer speak to him, he’d kill her.

John also shot Anne’s mother, Annie.

No one could have predicted it, nor could they have known about the 24 years the two families would spend in and out of court.

Continue reading “98 – A Question of Disorder: The murders of Anne & Annie Gillespie” →

85 – Monster in the Garage: Patricia Murphy

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Child Victim, Domestic Violence, Intimate Partner Violence, Irish Crime, Landmark Case, Life Sentence, murder, murder for profit

In May of 1996, a woman’s body was found behind a skip in Glasnevin, Dublin city. Late on the 27th, Patricia Murphy had been reported missing from her nearby home.In order for her family to find justice, however, three of her young children would have to give evidence in court to put the perpetrator away – the monster in the garage.

This episode was researched and written by Eileen MacFarlene of the Crimelapse podcast.

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Theme Music:

Quinn’s Song: The Dance Begins Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Additional Music:   Allemande (Sting) by Wahneta Meixsell. Licensed under Creative Commons: By Attribution 3.0 License http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Sources:
https://www.irishtimes.com/news/battered-wife-tried-to-conceal-the-marks-of-her-beatings-1.228260

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/dismay-as-mother-of-four-is-murdered-1.53517

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/post-mortem-results-expected-today-on-murdered-mother-1.53444

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/gardai-in-search-for-murdered-woman-s-clothing-1.53824

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/over-100-pay-respects-to-murdered-woman-1.54177

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/search-continues-for-victim-s-clothing-1.54503

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/steady-progress-in-murder-inquiry-1.54943

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/man-held-on-murphy-death-is-released-1.56185

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/suspects-s-re-arrest-legal-in-murder-hunt-judge-rules-1.82796

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/husband-of-murder-victim-loses-high-court-challenge-on-detention-1.82700

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/it-was-a-year-when-ireland-seemed-a-more-dangerous-place-to-be-a-woman-1.119653

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/inquest-on-murdered-woman-is-adjourned-1.60981

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/husband-charged-with-murdering-mother-of-four-1.63472

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/man-on-wife-murder-charge-seeks-bail-1.63872

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/man-gets-bail-in-wife-murder-case-1.64697

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/life-policy-pay-out-to-accused-man-1.65092

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https://www.irishtimes.com/news/further-remand-in-murder-case-1.105459

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https://www.irishtimes.com/news/delayed-murder-trial-to-open-1.221299

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/accused-man-s-children-to-tell-of-seeing-mother-s-body-1.221769

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/boy-5-tells-of-daddy-hammering-mammy-1.222333

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/children-tell-how-they-saw-mother-dead-in-garage-1.222264

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/neighbour-heard-high-pitched-screaming-1.223141

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/murder-trial-adjourned-for-discussions-1.223553

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/dead-woman-s-mother-tells-of-phone-calls-1.223955

https://www.irishtimes.com/news/murphy-said-gardai-were-not-clever-enough-to-catch-him-out-1.225874

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https://www.irishtimes.com/news/court-is-told-gardai-twisted-the-answers-of-murder-accused-1.226620

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https://www.irishtimes.com/news/the-murderer-who-boxed-a-little-too-clever-by-half-1.228266

https://www.independent.ie/irish-news/murder-case-agony-to-end-as-jury-decide-26166152.html

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https://dublin.ie/live/stories/conor-dodd-and-luke-portess-glasnevin-cemetery-and-museum/

84 – Dark Saga: The Murder of Philomena Gillane

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn affair, Cold Case, Controversial Case, Domestic Violence, Intimate Partner Violence, Irish Crime, Landmark Case, love triangle, murder, unsolved

In May of 1994, Philomena Gillane was 7 months pregnant. On the morning of Wednesday the 11th, she left her home early to head to work. But she never arrived. She was found dead in the boot of her own car 25 miles away, at Athlone Train station.

Her family would spend the next 3 years in and out of courts dealing with the fallout from her brutal murder, and in a search for justice that was never fully achieved.

Continue reading “84 – Dark Saga: The Murder of Philomena Gillane” →

77 – The murder of Georgina Eager

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn affair, Controversial Case, Domestic Violence, Intimate Partner Violence, Irish Crime, Landmark Case, Life Sentence, Mental Health, murder, Self Defence, sex crimes, UK Crime

In May of 2003, family members discovered the body of Georgina Eager in the bedroom of her flat. The knife used to kill her was still protruding from her neck. A man was arrested shortly after in London, who admitted to killing the 28 year old receptionist.

This would lead to a prosecution for murder in London, the first case of a crime committed in Ireland being tried in the United Kingdom under an obscure law dating from 1861, avoiding the lengthy extradition process.

Continue reading “77 – The murder of Georgina Eager” →

74 – Marilyn Rynn: The Shortcut

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Irish Crime, Landmark Case, Life Sentence, Mental Health, murder, sex crimes

In December of 1995, 41 year old Marilyn Rynn disappeared after attending her workplace Christmas party. Two weeks later her body was found hidden in bushes at a park near to her home. She had been attacked as she took a shortcut on her journey home.

A combination of cutting edge forensic techniques and old fashioned police work solved her murder 8 months later.

Continue reading “74 – Marilyn Rynn: The Shortcut” →

70 – Lives of Violence: Robert Mone

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Controversial Case, Human Rights, Insanity Defence, Kidnapping, Landmark Case, Life Sentence, Mental Health, murder, Public Inquiry, Scottish Crimes, Serial Killer, UK Crime, Vintage murder

In 1967, a teacher was shot in her classroom in Dundee.

In 1976, two men escaped a mental hospital and killed three others in the process.

In 1979, three women were found beaten and strangled in a flat in Dundee.

All of these horrific events had one thing in common.

The name Robert Mone.

Continue reading “70 – Lives of Violence: Robert Mone” →

69 – The Emergency: The IRA, spies & the murder of Micheal Devereux

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Capital Punishment, Controversial Case, Human Rights, IRA/Paramilitary links, Irish Crime, Kidnapping, Landmark Case, Life Sentence, murder, Organised Crime, terrorism, Vintage murder

In 1940, 24 year old Michael Devereux disappeared from his home in Co Wexford. A year later, his body would be discovered buried in an isolated part of Co Tipperary. A number of men who were known members of the IRA found themselves accused of the murder – allegedly motivated by the belief that Devereux had been a spy among their ranks.

A four month legal battle ensued, which saw the use of the Emergency Powers Act passed to deal with “The Emergency” of the ongoing war in Europe used to circumvent due process and normal court procedures in order to hold the men accountable.

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68 – Mountain Mysteries: The murder of Phyllis Murphy

On By mensreapod@gmail.comIn Cold Case, Controversial Case, Irish Crime, Kidnapping, Landmark Case, Life Sentence, murder, Serial Killer, sex crimes, unsolved

Just before Christmas 1979, 23 year old Phyllis Murphy disappeared while waiting on a bus in Newbridge, Co Kildare. Her body was found in an isolated spot 25 miles away at Turlough Hill, Co Wicklow a month later.

After a huge search and investigation, the gardai had no leads as to who was responsible for her death. But in 1998, DNA in Phyllis’ case was tested as part of Operation Trace. As a result of that, 53 year old John Crerar – a neighbour of Phyllis’ remaining family – stood trial at the Dublin Central Criminal Court.

Continue reading “68 – Mountain Mysteries: The murder of Phyllis Murphy” →