Witness ‘feared for his life’ when US authorities raided his home
A WITNESS in the Adrian Donohoe murder trial has told the accused’s defence counsel that Homeland Security agents would not have been knocking at his door “if your client hadn’t shot a guard”.
Daniel Cahill (28), a barman living in New York, was giving evidence via video-link to the Central Criminal Court.
He has told the jury Aaron Brady (29), who denies the capital murder of Detective Garda Donohoe, said on three separate occasions while living in the US that he had shot a guard in Ireland.
The witness was cross-examined yesterday by defence counsel Justin McQuade BL in relation to agents from the Department of Homeland Security arriving at his home on the morning of July 25, 2019. On that day he made a statement to gardaí at a police precinct in Yonkers.
Mr Cahill said he was “frightened” when there was a bang on his door and he feared for his “life in general”, jumping into the attic of the apartment.
He said he spent three to four hours there until he was discovered by a Homeland Security agent and that he was “almost a wreck”.
He told Mr McQuade: “I was also naked if you want to go into more details to embarrass me, I ran from my bed with no clothes.”
Asked if when his wife, an American citizen, had realised that the people at the door were in uniform was it necessary for her to lie, the witness said she “was afraid and in shock” as well.
Mr Cahill said it was around 5am and he didn’t think anybody was aware who it was at the door, telling Mr McQuade: “If your client hadn’t have shot a guard, then that wouldn’t have happened.”
When it was put to the witness that agents found cannabis plants in his home, Mr Cahill said: “No they didn’t, they found two hemp plants, no marijuana is grown on a hemp plant.”
He told Mr McQuade that plenty of “false accusations” have been made about him.
It was put to the witness that he was in fear of something else when he heard a knock on his door – that Homeland Security had an enforcement and removal officer with them and he faced being returned to Ireland. Mr Cahill said this was not the case.
Mr Brady, of New Road in Crossmaglen, Co Armagh, has pleaded not guilty to the capital murder of Det-Gda Donohoe, who was then a member of An Garda Síochána acting in the course of his duty, at Lordship Credit Union in Bellurgan, Dundalk, Co Louth, on January 25, 2013.
The trial continues.