Trial date for five in connection with Butterly murder
A date has been set for the trial of five men, charged in connection with the murder of dissident republican Peter Butterly.
The 35-year-old father of two was shot dead on March 6, 2013 outside The Huntsman Inn in Gormanston, Co Meath.
Books of evidence were served on five men in connection with the case before the non-jury Special Criminal Court last Friday.
They were Michael McDermott (58), of Riverdale House, Garrymore, Ballinagh, Co. Cavan, who was one of the men charged with the actual murder of Mr Butterly outside the pub that day.
Secondly, he is charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh Na hEireann, otherwise the IRA on the same date.
He is also charged with possession of a 9mm Beretta semi-automatic pistol with the intent to commit murder and the possession of seven rounds of 9mm ammunition on March 5, 2013 at Blackthorn Apartments, Brackenwood Avenue, Balbriggan, Co. Dublin.
Kevin Braney (43) with a last address at Glenshane Crescent, Tallaght in Dublin is also charged with Mr Butterly’s murder. He’s further charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the IRA on March 6, 2013.
He is also charged with the possession of a 9mm calibre Beretta model 9000s semi-automatic pistol and the possession of seven rounds of 9mm ammunition with the intent to commit murder on March 5, 2013 at Blackthorn Apartments, Brackenwood Avenue, Balbriggan.
Frank Murphy (58), of McDonough Caravan Park, Triton Road, Bettystown, Co. Meath is the third man charged with Mr Butterly’s murder.
He is also charged with possession of a 9mm Beretta semi-automatic pistol with the intent to commit murder and the possession of seven rounds of 9mm ammunition on the same date.
He is further charged with membership of an unlawful organisation within the state, namely Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the Irish Republican Army, otherwise the IRA at the time.
Laurence Murphy (60), a brother of Frank Murphy and also of McDonough Caravan Park, Triton Road, Bettystown, Co. Meath is charged with membership of an unlawful organisation within the state, namely Oglaigh na hEireann, otherwise the Irish Republican Army, otherwise the IRA on March 6, 2013.
Ray Kennedy (38), of Whitestown Drive, Blanchardstown, in Dublin is charged with membership of an unlawful organisation styling itself the Irish Republican Army, otherwise Oglaigh Na hÉireann, otherwise the IRA on March 6, 2013.
Ms Justice Isobel Kennedy, presiding with Judge Sinéad Ni Chúlacháin, Judge Cormac Dunne set at trial date for 2nd October 2018 for all five men, noting that the estimate for the duration of the trial was up to ten weeks.
She extended legal aid to cover a second junior counsel for each man, on hearing of the volume of paperwork in the case.