Motion for Wheelock Inquiry Passed by Dublin City Council
dublin |
crime and justice |
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Wednesday December 06, 2006 18:52
by tom foley - Human Rights Watch
freedomjig at hotmail dot com
Nth inner City
Taoiseach Gives Assurances to the Wheelocks
Garda Evidence Withheld
Dublin City Council have joined those calling for an inquiry into the circumstances surrounding the death of Terence Wheelock. Terence, who was from Summerhill in Dublin, suffered fatal injuries while in Garda custody in June 2005.
The Gardai have claimed that he hung himself, but this is strongly denied by his family who have pointed out many contradictions in the Garda story. The most glaring one is the report of a serious head injury which most likely came from a major blow Terence received to the head while in Garda custody.
There is an ongoing inquest into Terence's death taking place at the Coroner's court, but this has only a limited remit. With Garda brutality on display in Rossport, any independent inquiry which serves to limit State violence will be a big step forward for everybody - not just the people of inner city Dublin. The Wheelocks and their supporters will be continuing their campaign this weekend, distributing leaflets in Dublin city centre.
Previous Indymedia Coverage:
Interview with Esther and Larry Wheelock | Wheelock family move out of Summerhill | First mention of Terence on Indymedia |
Original report of Terence's death | 1st Anniversary March | John Maloney’s death in Garda Custody
Tom Foley writes:
The Wheelock family came one step closer to an independent inquiry on monday night in relation to death of there loved one Terence Wheelock who sustained injuries while in Garda custody on the 2/6/05, leading to his death. Dublin City councillors passed a motion at City Hall, calling for an independent inquiry. The motion was passed unanimously, there was broad cross party support for the motion.
Terence Wheelock was a tenant of Dublin City Council and as a tenant there was in their view a duty on Dublin City Council to find out how Mr Wheelock (20) sustained his injuries at Store Street Garda station.
The motion brought forward by Cllr Aodhan O Riordain of the Labour Party, stated that "the council believes that the rights of the Wheelock family and the reputation of the gardai are best served by an independent inquiry.” Numerous councillors spoke about the merits of an inquiry Cllr Naoise O'Muiri "saying if the Gardai have nothing to hide then they have nothing to fear and will benefit from such an inquiry".
A former Lord Mayor Dermot Lacey said "There is an inbuilt division between working class males and the Gardai". Cllr Christy Burke of Sinn Fein who has liaised with the family, gave an impassioned speech calling also for an inquiry."The human side to this, is that Mr and Mrs Wheelock is devastated with the loss of her son, he left his home that day and to them, he never came back, the family had to move from their home of 20 years, they have lost a son, at the very least they merit an inquiry"
Members of the Wheelock family were present at the council sitting and where in the public gallery. Councillors paid tribute the way the family have carried there campaign for an inquiry in a dignified and peaceful way, and that they were an example to other working class people.
Larry Wheelock Jnr brother of the deceased Terence Wheelock, personally met the Taoiseach Bertie Ahern earlier that day. He was visiting Rutland St School in the north inner city.
Larry requested that the delaying tactics by the Gardai with regard to documents, internal Garda reports, and pathologist’s reports, should not be used as an obstacle or hindrance in there pursuit of the truth. They should be made available to them and their legal team, without having to pursue them with acts of discovery in the High Court which would be a long and dragged out process.
The Taoiseach gave his assurances and stated he would do his best in relation to the matter. Larry jnr and family were clearly delighted with the motion for an independent inquiry being passed by the city council: "This brings us three steps closer to an independent inquiry, we’re delighted, The version of events giving by Gardai to our family, simply does not hold up, and is inconsistent with the facts. And there’s intimidation tactics by individual Gardai involved in Terence arrest,
has only strengthened our resolve to find out what happened Terence that day"
The inquest in to the death of Mr Wheelock resumes on the 15 Dec 06.
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Comments (19 of 19)
Jump To Comment: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19well things are starting to pick up for the family of terence..
must be something to do withthe recent revelations at the inquest last week.
Mr Mcdowell should take notice of the councils initiative and the taoiseachs commets.
This family has campagained fot the last yyear in a half, the least he can dois give them a fair heaaring to air there greivences.
time will tell.
They have worked hard on this campaign, with out the help of indymedia and the campaign commte it would of been very hard to high light this travesty of justice.
The media with the exception of the village mag, choose wht they want from this case, barely seen anything in the papers, even though its known that dublin city coucil that means councillors across dublin supports an independent inquiry.
as the authur pionts out this for everybody across the land, to make these rogue cops accountable and for there mates to open there mouths and eyes when they see wrongdoing.
Support fromthe community, students and polictical activists
The family must capitalize on this support, from the council if they want to acheive there aims.
solidarity with shell to sea protest.
multi corporations or there police force wont ovecome the people.
Esther Wheelock, Terence mother.
Larry and Sammy, Terence Father and Brother
Chelsea wheelock, Terence neice
things became unbearable when the gardia, decided to set up shop outside the family home, with dogs , horses, and thirsty gardai, but this seems to have backed fired on the gardi. As the wheelock campaign gaine unprecedented support in the area.
Garda glaring at the wheelock home.
Images from last Sat 2nd of the canvassing crew by James Joyce statue.
it has been a progressive few weeks for the wheelock family and indeed the people of thier commun ity with recent developments with their campaign for the establishment of an independent inquiry. this should be an inspiration to each and every one of us to stand up for our civil liberties and human rights
.Here we have a family that have lost a loved one after been detained at the states pleasure and have been denied the truth as to what realy occured on that faitful day.
This family along with thier friends and supporters have campaigned tirelessly in search of thee truth and justice and have been stonewalled at every turn.
not fased by this their struggle continued peacefully and dignified. it s becoming more and more apparent what happened to young terence in store street that day.
all most from the moment he was detained he is unconscious for over 2 hours in a cell this is the gardai's version of events then wakes up and within minutes makes a decision on his life all the while pulling a concrete wall asunder {hardly} with in a few minutes.
There are many photos of injuries to his body catergorically denied by gardai and the state pathologist but when produced as evidence they are caught off guard.
.had they known theses pics existed thier version of events would be completely different.
then the state forensic scientist reveals to the coroners court that the was a lot of blood on items of mr wheelocks clothes I wonder how that got there ?
it stinks to high hell.
i Support the call for justice and so should every citizen who cares about fundemental human rights in this country and through out the world.
The investigating garda superintendent oliver hanley was involved in the fiasco and white wash that was abbylara,
the killing of john carty by gardai
He has dragged his heels in this case alsothe family want an independent inquiry and they deserve one. found this out on a google seearch.
yes read that Detective Hanley was involved in the abbeylara affair.
(story http://www.irlgov.ie/committees-01/c-justice/abbeylara/...1/.ie)
A Garda steve mulqueen of fitzgibbon st, garda station. who arrested terence wheelock on the 2nd of june and who recently it was alleged by a witness in the coroner court, stated that terence wheelock was assau;ted by gardai and has been a prominent figure in the circumstances sorrounding the suspicious death in garda custody in store st garda station.
Is a prominent judo champion
(story http://www.garda.ie/angarda/majorevents/judo.html)
The inquest will take place tomorrow to set a date for marie cassidys new submissions.
This is in light of the new evidence produced on the last date.
ie photos of bruising and bloodied clothes.
Its expected though, that the state will strenously oppose the clothes and photos being allowed to be shown to the jury.
This will take the coroners court in to unchartered territory in its powers of remit.
Independent forensic experts from briton are likely to be called as witness's as the states own forensic scientist,
failed to test the bloodied clothes when he had them in his possesion.
marie cassidy failed to veiw dozens of photos of marks bruises and minor larcerations on the young mans body. Even though they were in her notes.
it is expected tomorrow that ithere will be legal argument, and the jury will not be present,
this case is expected to be heard in the new year, a date should be set for mention in the new year,
It is already turning out to be one of the longest inquests to be heard in recent memory.
The case is set to rock the gardai at store st. where terence sustained his injuries.
Somebody who was at the hearing, are you seriously telling me Cassidy examined his body yet didn't enquire to how he ended up in hospital?
Wheelock died of pneumonia, inquest told
http://www.rte.ie/news/2006/1122/wheelockt.html
wheelock clothes had extensive blood stains
http://www.publicinquiry.eu/2006/12/14/wheelock-clothes...ains/
yes i'am serious this is one of the reasons this inquest came to a halt on the 23/11/05.
She stated that when she examined terence wheelocks body shortly after he died in sep 05, that she noticed no marks or bruises on the deceased body, but when drawn on this remark, by legal councel (sean gillane) for the family, that there where thirty five photos catergorising extensive marks and bruises taken by the hospital the day after terrence admission 3/6/05,
she said she had not been aware of the photos existence and did not view them.
it was pionted out to her that the existence of the photos were listed in her personal notes,
she then conceded that this had been an oversight on her part she did not relise there existence where marked in her own personal notes.
Though mr wheelock had been in a coma for over three months, she stated that she was not AWARE of this fact when she veiwed his body. She also had no access to the bloodstained clothes which where in garda posession of a superintendent oliver hanley at blackrock garda station.
Then his body would of had sufficent time to heal itself of any bruising in that duration when he was in a comotose state. She then went on to say that information in this young mans death at the time she veiwed his body had been limited.
This is when the in quest was adjourned to give her ample time to veiw this evidence , and give her time to reveiw her original findings and include this evidence in her new submissions.
The inquest will resume on the fith of feb 07 at 11am
http://www.indymedia.ie/article/80238
anon alot of people who end up in hospital in coma's dont actually die from their injuries, but form wide spread disease's in that hospital. and after being in a coma for that long a persons body starts to break down, ie bedsores, mineral loss, muscle break down, and the general deteoriation of the body and immune system, which results is most case of the patient contracting a infection or disease. yes terrence wheelock died from pneumonia, Even if state broadcaster trys to play this down.
This does not take frorm the fact that he ended up in hospital with horrific injuries and as a cosequence fought for three and a half months although he died of pneumonia and no one dipute this,
people are not going to get technical, and from the piont of veiw he died as a result from injuries sustained in store st garda station having never regained coonciousness.
since the recent motion being passed by the citycouncil for an independent inquiry, the wheelock familys persistence in campaigning for anwers in to there loved ones death is starting to pay off
john maloney with robert wheelock june 2005
june 2005 A community demands answer in to a suspicious death
good luck to the wheelocks, hope youse get answers in to what happened terence in that garda station.
there was a protest at the department of justice last week again calling for an independent inquiry apparently there where TDS there looking at photos of injuries to young wheelocks body and photos of bloodstained clothing they were very annoyed and digusted at what they saw.
tony gregory demanded nothing less than an independent inquiry.
it was also in the mail on sunday today, that mr wheelock could of been brualised with a baton there was anal bleeding as a result of trauma to that region, according to indepedent forensic experts from briton.
another man is sueing thet gardai at store st claiming he was sodomised by officers in store st garda station 8 weeks befor terence wheelock died.
The implications of this is beggers belief but the evidence that is set to come befor the coroners court om march the 28th is said to be explosive.
relations in the area where terence wheelock lived between the local gardai are said to be poor, when this comes out that there are gardai treating young men is such barbaric treatment, relations could get worse.
these photos are taken from shell to sea.
but i think they say a lot about how things can get out of hand
Garda with his baton
ganging up
accountability is a must when investigating garda malpractice, the new ombudsman should look at past wrong doing with the files that are available.