Garda murder trial hears of drugs find
NY police report says steroids found in home of witness
THE Detective Garda Adrian Donohoe murder trial has heard steroids and a suspected small cannabis growing operation were found in the New York home of a prosecution witness.
Aaron Brady, 28, has denied murdering the detective in January, 2013, during an armed raid at a credit union.
However, witness Daniel Cahill has given evidence that the accused told him on three occasions that he shot a garda.
On the final day of evidence, Detective Inspector Mark Phillips, of the National Bureau of Criminal Investigation, told defence counsel Michael O’Higgins SC that, last September, he received a report from Yonkers Police in New York, related to the detention of witness Mr Cahill.
Mr Cahill spoke to gardaí at Yonkers precinct on July 25 last year, after being detained by Homeland Security.
Det Insp Phillips agreed the report says steroids were found at Mr Cahill’s home when Homeland Security went there on July 25 last year. He also agreed that the first time the defence became aware of this was when Special Agent Mary Ann Wade of Homeland Security mentioned it, during cross examination last week.
He said that when he heard the special agent’s evidence it ‘rang a bell’ and so he sought out the report. He also agreed that the prosecution accepts that this report should have been disclosed to the defence.
The report says officers from Homeland Security called to Mr Cahill’s home to speak to him, but his wife told them he was not there. She allowed them to search the premises to find out if she was telling the truth.
During the search they found what they suspected to be a small cannabis growing operation and later found Mr Cahill in the attic. An unstated quantity of steroids was also found.
According to the report, Mr Cahill agreed to speak to Homeland Security and therefore went to Yonkers precinct where, the trial has previously heard, he gave a statement to gardaí.
Mr O’Higgins said this was contrary to Special Agent Wade’s evidence that he was brought to the precinct in handcuffs because of the suspected presence of steroids in the apartment. The report concludes that the district attorney decided not to file charges in relation to the suspected cannabis or the steroids.
Prosecution yesterday finished its evidence. The trial, at the Central Criminal Court, began in January but the jury did not sit for several weeks after the Covid-19 lockdown began.
When they returned in May, the courtroom had been set up to allow for social distancing and restrictions were placed on the number of people who could be in court at any time.
Aaron Brady, 28, from New Road, Crossmaglen, Co. Armagh, has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Det Garda Adrian Donohoe on January 25, 2013 at Lordship Credit Union, Bellurgan, Co. Louth.
He also pleaded not guilty to robbing about €7,000 in cash and assorted cheques on the same date and at the same location.
Following cross examination of Det Insp Phillips, yesterday, prosecution counsel Brendan Grehan SC told the jury: ‘That is the end of the prosecution case.’
Judge Michael White asked them to return on Monday.
Mr Cahill was found in the attic