McArdle jury fails to reach verdict
By Fern Lane
The Old Bailey trial of Seamus McArdle ended on Friday
19 February with the jury being unable to reach even a
majority verdict after a day and a half of
deliberations. McArdle, who has been charged in
connection with the attack on Canary Wharf which ended
the first IRA cessation, has now been returned to await
retrial to Belmarsh.
SSU where he has been consistently and seriously
maltreated by prison officers during his incarceration
on remand. The retrial is due to begin within the next
few weeks.
On Friday morning the jury informed the judge that they
had been unable to reach a unanimous verdict. He
instructed them that he would accept a majority verdict
- although by this time one member had been dismissed
for drink-related problems so the jury was down to
eleven, meaning a majority decision would be 10 to 1.
On Friday afternoon the foreman sent a note through to
the judge stating that the jury had ``exhausted all
possible avenues of reaching a majority verdict'' and
were not going to be able to come to a decision no
matter how many times the judge sent them out.
A number of supporters and family members who were
present throughout the proceedings reported a
disturbing event shortly before the jury were sent out.
The Old Bailey contains a separate viewing gallery to
one side of the jury which is reserved for senior
police officers, civil servants, MI5 agents and so on.
At least five people, including members of McArdle's
family and Fuascailt reported seeing a man taking
photographs of those in the public gallery. What made
this particularly unusual, however, was the fact that
there was no attempt to hide this activity; it took
place in full view of the court during proceedings,
including the judge's summing up. Apart from the
obvious, heavy-handed attempt to intimidate McArdle's
family and supporters in the public gallery, one also
wonders what message this was intended to convey to the
jury, who also had a perfect view of these antics. The
matter has been brought to the attention of the
relevant legal teams and a formal complaint is being
made to the authorities at the Old Bailey.
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