Nelson family to challenge DPP's failure
by Laura Friel
The family of assassinated Lurgan solicitor Rosemary Nelson may seek a
judicial review of the decision by the Director of Public Prosecutions
not to prosecute members of the RUC who threatened her life. Nelson
died in a car bomb attack last March. Prior to her death, she had
formally complained about harassment, including death threats from the
RUC.
Two RUC officers were named and others were identifiable through
description in three separate files sent to the Independent Commission
for Police Complaints. Before Rosemary Nelson's killing, serious
misgivings about the RUC investigations into the allegations led to
the RUC officer in charge being replaced by a senior London
Metropolitan police officer.
The Nelson family heard of the DPP's decision not to pursue
prosecution of the RUC officers involved when her husband, Paul
Nelson, telephoned the DPP's office last week. He described the
decision as a ``body blow'' for the family. ``Nearly ten months after her
death, there is no sign of any commitment to truth and justice for
Rosemary,'' said Paul.
Dr. Robbie McVeigh of the Rosemary Nelson Campaign said it was time
for the Irish government to support international calls for an
independent judicial inquiry into Rosemary's killing. The DPP's
decision comes at a time of growing international disquiet at the
failure of the current investigation into the killing to secure any
arrests.
Sinn Féin Assembly member for Upper Bann Dara O'Hagan said the death
threats are well documented and were the subject of an investigation
by the United Nations Special Rapporteur Param Cumaraswamy who, before
her death, specifically expressed his fears for Rosemary Nelson's
safety.
``We have had the ridiculous charade of the RUC investigating death
threats against Rosemary Nelson emanating from their own
organisation,'' said O'Hagan. ``The ICPC had such serious concerns about
the conduct of the RUC investigation that they called in the London
Metropolitan police. The outcome of this investigation has once again
shown that truth and justice are nonexistent concepts in the North of
Ireland.''
Gerry Kelly, Sinn Féin's spokesperson on policing, said that once
again the RUC has been able to act with impunity when it comes to the
treatment of nationalists. ``The DPP is not fit to adjudicate the
actions of the RUC. This decision magnifies the need for all decisions
concerning policing, the judicial system and human rights to be put
into the hands of an independent international body until such time as
we can create proper independent, fair and impartial systems of
justice.''
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