Irish Judge Harrasses Anti-War Defendant

international | anti-war / imperialism | news report Wednesday October 27, 2004 02:22 by Court Watcher - Court Watch

Mary Kelly denied right to a fair trial

Judge harrasses and badgers Anti-War defendant Mary Kelly

Judge Moran of the Ennis County Court harrassed and badgered Anti-War defendant Mary Kelly when she attempted to claim that her criminal damage to a plane at Shannon Airport was based on her honestly held belief that the plane was involved in violations of international law.

The trial which started last Tuesday (19 October 2004) is set to end on Wednesday or Thursday, after a week of hearing where the judge denied almost every witness that the defense attempted to call.

Among the witnesses denied the stand were Mr. Denis Holliday a former Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations, Mr. Daniel Einsberger of Pentagon Papers fame, Dr. Horst Gunther who uncovered the United States use of depleted uranium in Iraq, Mr. Edward Horgan a former UN Peacekeeper, and Dr. Curtis Doebbler an international lawyers. The judge ruled that Mary Kelly had no right to base her defense on international law and yelled at the defendant several times when she attempted to introduce evidence that he viewed as inappropriate.

Mary Kelly is charged with damaging a US Naval Jet that had landed at Shannon Airport. She claims that these planes are on their way to Iraq to kill women and children, the US government claims they ar only going to deliver spare tires to Italy and refuses to disclose the manifest of the plane.