[ad_1]
A man accused of murder in West Cork died before his trial began today and it emerged that he had wanted to plead guilty to manslaughter when he was seriously ill.
Deirdre Coakley, 22, said she felt she and her mother, Siobhán, did not get justice for her father, Derry Coakley, after the defendant, Gerard Lynch, died before he could be tried on a murder charge for the murder.
“I just don’t know how the process is so slow. It was so clear. I just don’t know how he wasn’t brought to trial faster, ”Ms. Coakley said.
Lead counsel for the prosecution, Siobhán Lankford, said today: “This is a case where, sadly, the defendant has died. The state is entering a nolle prosequi.
“I wish to bring to the attention of the court that on August 10, the defendant had expressed his desire to plead (guilty) to one charge of murder. It was not possible to continue with this because he was very ill.
“Due to Covid-19, it was not possible to take things further. The state is entering a nolle prosequi.
He passed away on August 21. The family of the deceased is present.
“They were present the day it was indicated that he would plead guilty to involuntary manslaughter if possible due to the unusual circumstances in which the entire country finds itself.”
Tim O’Leary’s lead defense attorney said: “In fact, the offer regarding the homicide was made on May 20. For the avoidance of doubt, it is correct to say that the offer was rejected.
“It was only and always when my client’s illness became more evident that on August 10, a request was submitted to find a situation at home to take a statement or not.
“But he couldn’t organize himself and he died 11 days later. I think it is important for both families in the circumstances to avoid doubts that there was a request in August of this year. Today he was included for the trial. ”
Mr. Coakley’s daughter, who was shot and killed two years ago near his home in County Cork, called for the criminal process to be expedited after the man accused of the murder died before the case could go to trial. .
“I feel like the justice system was not up to par. They just don’t measure up to things like this. It’s too slow. Gerard Lynch sat at home for two years in his own comfort.
“He only went to jail for a few weeks at first.”
The late Mr. Lynch, 68, of Curraheen, Raleigh North, Macroom had been charged with the murder of plant rental contractor, Derry Coakley, 60, in Curraheen, Raleigh North between October 23 and October 24 October 2018.
An investigation in April 2019 heard that Mr. Coakley of Castle Street, Macroom, bled to death after being shot in the left arm while working at a site in Curraheen, Raleigh North, just outside the town of Macroom.
Assistant State Pathologist Dr. Margaret Bolster said in the South Cork Forensic Court investigation sitting in Macroom that Mr. Coakley died of hemorrhage and concussion from a single gunshot wound to the arm.
Speaking after the brief court hearing, Ms Coakley said she did not feel she had received justice for her father even though she agreed with the DPP’s decision to reject a homicide plea in May because she believed her father had been murdered.
“We were happy with the decision of the DPP in May to reject the declaration of homicide, one hundred percent. It was murder. I wanted no less. The homicide doesn’t even begin to cover what he did to my dad, ”he said.
“I was in constant contact with the Gardaí in Macroom and they did their best. We went to the Dublin Criminal Court in August, but they explained to us that they couldn’t do more, that Gerard Lynch had gone too far. ”
Ms. Coakley expressed her gratitude to the Gardaí, in particular the Family Liaison Officer, Garda Lisa Hyde and Superintendent Joe Moore for their support.
“They were brilliant, they kept in constant contact and I could call them at any time.”
When asked if she could take comfort in the fact that Ms. Lankford had recorded that the late Mr. Lynch was willing to plead guilty to manslaughter, Ms. Coakley said it offered little comfort to her or her family .
“Nothing was going to bring my dad back, but having that ruling (a murder verdict) would have been nice. He didn’t deserve this. I feel like no one knows now, it feels like someone just covered it with a black sheet and that’s it.
“My dad was my rock. He was the best father I could have had. It is a constant battle every day. Sometimes people forget and move on with their life and are allowed to move on, but we are stuck.
“He always told me to stay away from a fight. If I ever got into a fight with someone, he would say ‘You know the best thing to do now is leave?’ So for this to happen, it was definitely not provoked because he left. “
[ad_2]