Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial, Day One

dublin | anti-war / imperialism | news report

Monday March 07, 2005 17:13

by Harry Browne

Pit Stop Ploughshares Trial, Day One

7 March 2005
Pitstop Ploughshares Trial, Day One

That could really read 'Day Zero', because nothing much happened down there at the Four Courts, at least in terms of the case itself. But we don't really have to take our day-count from the inefficiency of the legal system, because it was a beautiful morning of solidarity with old friends, and conversations with new ones. Something definitely got started today, even if it wasn't exactly the trial.

Perhaps 120 people moved off from the Spire at about 9.15am, which doesn't sound huge but is pretty good for a Monday morning, and looks particularly ample when it's stretched out in single file. Those Catholic Worker stewards are pretty fierce pacifists, and I understood their desire for a silent dignified procession, but the Devil himself tempted me by situating Kathy Kelly, a great and good (and beautiful) American peace activist, just in front of me, and I'm afraid that became 'beside me' for a good bit of the walk down.

Our route was down the shadowy cavern of Abbey Street, with only the Luas and a few pedestrians for company. Happily we were joined just as we approached the courts by Bishop Thomas Gumbleton from Detroit, fresh from the airport. No, really - quite fresh and remarkably coherent for a 75-year-old who has just had perhaps two hours' sleep on the Redeye. Kathy Kelly had just been telling me about his parish in inner-city Detroit, and, in the rectory, his simple bedroom, which can easily be mistaken for the dog kennel. (She didn't have much time to elaborate on that remark, so you can imagine for yourself what precisely it might signify)

You can see in the photographs how the gathering looked, and hopefully the inadequacy of the sound system against the morning traffic and people's understandable desire to start chatting after the near-silent procession didn't lower the flow of supportive energy flowing into the small circle formed by Deirdre, Nuin, Karen, Damien and Ciaron (Happy Birthday Ciaron!) outside the courthouse. After short speeches by Gumbleton, Kelly and Ciaron, the five defendants literally ran off, into the maws of the system, to see what awaited them.

Some of us stood at the corner with signs. Others moved off in front of Gandon's pillars at the main courthouse entrance with more signs. Others again wandered around striking up conversations, finding an extraordinary number of American accents (some of them plotting pub crawls), many with the name Grady attached. A degree of confusion reigned about what exactly was going to happen officially this morning, and where exactly, so Fintan Lane and I took it upon ourselves to ask at the information desk just off the rotunda. After beginning to name off defendants, we just said something about 'the five', and the helpful chap told us it would be in Court 2, and not before 11am, with Judge Carney presiding. I vaguely thought that sounded odd, Court 2 being one of the big courts on the rotunda, and a High Court (or, in criminal cases, the Central Criminal Court), and the Ploughshares trial was supposed to be Circuit Court. But what did I know?

More hanging around, and it was after 10.30am by the time I was chatting to a press photographer and hearing stories about Carney, who is apparently 'New School Old School, if you know what I mean'. Last week, it seems, some fellas let out a whoop after an acquittal in his court, and he rounded up five of them for contempt, ordering them to appear this morning. Ha-ha, good one'. Five of them? This morning? Carney? D'oh!

The social scene was all very well, but I was missing the trial! Another query at the desk, this time going clearly beyond 'the five' and mentioning in quick succession Shannon Airport, the Circuit Court and Catholics, established that they were outside and around the corner in Court 24. I told who I could and arrived into a small courtroom to find the defendants perched on a bench and Judge Michael White warning potential jurors, by a remote audio link, that the alleged crime in this case related to the Iraq war, and therefore if they had strong feelings about that they should disqualify themselves.

For whatever reason, two potential jurors did approach the judge and disqualify themselves before they could be sworn in. Another two got into the box, but before they could swear the oath, the prosecution objected to them, on the standard grounds that they looked like working-class young men, and therefore apparently predisposed to acquit.

The magic number 12 was reached, nine women and three men, as ordinary and decent looking as you could hope for. Then the judge told them and us that the trial would start tomorrow, in he-didn't-know-what-court, and before he-didn't-know-what-judge. (He did say it would be either himself, O'Donnell or McDonagh.) And then it was done, until 10.30am Tuesday, when we're to report back to the same place and see what is to become of us.

More info:
http://WarOnTrial.com

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Comments (14 of 14)

Irish Times: Jurors 'should not serve if they had strong views on the US invasion of Iraq'

by IRL Timez

Wed Mar 09, 2005 21:34

[republished in total due to pay-for website]

Trial of Shannon activists begins in Dublin

http://www.ireland.com/newspaper/breaking/2005/0307/breaking25.htm

A jury was sworn in today for the trial of five anti-war protesters who caused up to €2.5 million of damage to a US Navy plane at Shannon airport.

The protest, which was organised by the Pit Stop Ploughshares Catholic Workers, took place in the run-up to the US invasion of Iraq two years ago.

At the Circuit Criminal Court in Dublin this morning were Deirdre Clancy (34), from Clontarf in Dublin; Nuin Dunlop (33), from Dublin 7, Karen Fallon (32), Ciaran O'Reilly (44), and Damien Moran (24), all with addresses at South Circular Road, Dublin.

They are charged with causing criminal damage to the US Navy plane and to two glass door panels at Shannon Airport on February 3rd 2003. The five pleaded not guilty to two counts of criminal damage.

Judge Michael White warned prospective jurors they should not serve if they had strong views on the US invasion of Iraq, which would prevent them from delivering an impartial verdict. He excused two jurors who said they could not give an impartial verdict.

The court heard that Ms Dunlop was a trained counsellor, Ms Fallon was a marine biologist originally from Scotland, Ms Clancy was a copy editor and writer, and both Mr Moran and Mr O'Reilly worked with the homeless in Dublin. Mr Moran is also a student priest with the Holy Ghost Fathers in Dublin.

The five spent between four and 11 weeks in Limerick prison awaiting trial and are currently out on bail.

The court heard that among the witnesses called will be members of the gardaí at Shannon, US Navy aircraft commander James Nichols and Aer Rianta operations manager Niall Moloney.

Judge White told the jury of nine women and three men that the case was expected to last at least a week. It is scheduled to begin in the Circuit Criminal Court at 10.30am tomorrow.

The Pit Stop Ploughshares group held a large protest outside the court in support of the accused and to highlight the use of Shannon Airport by the US military.

PA

© The Irish Times/ireland.com

More photos from 7th March 2005, Dublin

by Joe Murphy

Tue Mar 08, 2005 17:12

Banners outside the courthouse

Some people form a line of support in a silent vigil outside the courthouse

More photos from Monday 7th March 2005

Tue Mar 08, 2005 17:06

Support at spire 7th march 2005

Ciaron speaking to crowd at Spire

Leaving to go to court

disapointing show of support for ploughsahres ?

by dunk

Tue Mar 08, 2005 14:13

full support to the ploughshares
great to see the solidarity and support from their community but disapointing to see such little support from irish anti war groups.

@ 100people down outside the court this morning a fair few from ireland and a good few who have traveled from abroad

request to IAWM for more support put out
http://irishantiwar.org/news/item.tcl?news_item_id=101216

"where are all the direct action community, are they supporting them" asked a ploughshare from europe

dunk

more photos from brisbane

by treena

Tue Mar 08, 2005 08:56

an anonymous supporter

More Melbourne Photos

by Paul

Tue Mar 08, 2005 00:48

More Melbourne photos

Tue Mar 08, 2005 00:47

Melbourne Vigil for Pitstop Ploughshares

by Paul - Member of Ringwood Uniting Church, Melbourne, Australia

Tue Mar 08, 2005 00:45

pwdyson at yahoo dot com

Uniting Church Members from Ringwood and elsewhere, along with friends of Ciaron from the Jabiluka blockade gathered outside the office of the Irish Honorary Consul in Melbourne, Australia supporting the Pitstop Ploughshares.

After an introductory reflection, we leafletted passers by and waved our signs at the passing traffic, gaining many supportive toots. Despite rain we kept our vigil for an hour, closing by remembering those arrested and in prision for anti-war activities, and the vicitms of the war in Iraq. A petition of those present will be delivered to the consul.

Belfast solidarity vigil

by mark - irish network for nonviolent action training & education

Tue Mar 08, 2005 00:25

finnx at hotpop dot com

+44 711 511 0517

A bunch of folk in Belfast held a solidarity vigil for the Pitstop Ploughshares 5 outside the Failte Ireland tourist offices in the city centre on Monday morning.

The location was chosen to bring attention to the continuing use of Shannon 'Warport' by the US military in their plunder of Iraq.

Passersby accepted leaflets & were generally supportive.

belfast group

gordon walks the walk

the goddess of justice

by rasta

Mon Mar 07, 2005 23:57

the goddess of justice is leaning a little to the Right don't you say, or Dose the scales of justice usually tip to the right. I reckon so and so do all the oppressed by the ruling classes.

brisbane solidarity vigil

Mon Mar 07, 2005 22:18

Over a dozen Brisbane folk gathered in front of the ‘Goddess of Justice’ on Monday in support of the Pitstop Ploughshare activists going to trial. Supporters, including Ciaron’s parents, Garrett and Mary O’Reilly, held a vigil for one hour in the city centre. Placards and banners were held declaring the activists’ innocence (Ciaron O’Reilly Not Guilty; Ploughshares Not Guilty), demanding an end to the war and promoting peace in our world. Leaflets were handed out highlighting the trial and some background information. People were encouraged to sign a card expressing their support for the defendants. The vigil ended with some Irish music by Simon on the squeeze box and then people gathered in a circle to briefly reflect and to remember brothers and sisters in court and in Iraq.

mary & garrett o'reilly (ciaron's parents)

simon
simon

TV item on Shannon complicity

by .

Mon Mar 07, 2005 17:31

An item on the US torture planes landing in Shannon is going out on The Big Bite on RTE1 tommorow (Tuesday) at 2.25pm. It's being repeated sometime around 8 on Wednesday morning.

Photo Series....

by redjade

Mon Mar 07, 2005 17:19

http://AlOtherPlaces.org