Eoin Rice v Judge Mangan, the Banner Judge

limerick | rights, freedoms and repression | news report

Wednesday February 18, 2004 18:57

by Edward Horgan - Peace and Neutrality Alliance

edward_horgan at hotmail dot com

Limerick

086-2380911

Hunger striker to fight his case

Eoin Rice was back in Court today at Corofin, attempted to represent himself in Court before Judge Mangan, who refused to allow him make any submission on his own behalf, refused to reconsider his bail conditions or to give any reason for the new bail condition of being banned from county Clare.

It is no longer unusual to report bizarre happenings in Co. Clare Courts. Eoin Rice who has been Limerick prison for the past week, because he refused to accept Judge Mangan's additional bail condition banning him from Co Clare. This matter is now becoming a circus but a sad and an unjust circus. Eoin was arrested and brought before Tulla court on 6 Dec 2003 arising from alleged incidents at Shannon on 6th Dec. He was then released on a bail of (5) five Euro. The Gardai have never objected to this bail nor have they sought to have it amended. This circus has been doing the rounds of Clare towns in the meantime. At Ennis court on 18Dec Eoin was again remanded on 5 Euro bail, and the same again at Shannon Court on 8 Jan. On 12 Feb, at Shannon court,
for no apparent reason, Judge Mangan decided to add banning from Co Clare to the bail conditions. Since there was no request for this or no reason given, Eoin Rice refused to accept the extra condition and was remanded to Limerick prison. Eoin has been trying to get an application for Habeas Corpus processed in the meantime but is meeting serious bureaucratic obstruction in processing this vital civil liberties right. Our legal advice is that any additional bail condition such as this should have been fully explained and justified by the Judge. At Corofin court today Eoin Rice attempted to represent himself because of the non-availability of his solicitor. Judge Mangan refused to allow Eoin to make any representation to the court. This in itself must be a serious breach of Eoin's civil liberties. When Eoin attempted to make a submission on the issue of the extra bail condition, Judge Mangan interrupted him and said the only issue was whether Eoin was prepared to accept the bail conditions imposed, and demanded a yes or no answer on several occasions. When Eoin attempted to explain that he was willing to accept the original conditions of 5 euro but was not willing to accept the banning from Co Clare especially without no explanation, Judge Mangan ignored him and continued to interrupt Eoin's attempt to make an application to the court. The Judge simply continued to talk with Inspector Gallagher, ignoring Eoin’s efforts to answer even the Judge's own question to him. It was a dialog of the deaf. Judge Mangan insisted on getting the answer the he the judge required, i.e. yes or no, and refused to allow Eoin to answer the question in any other way and also refused to allow Eoin to make any other submission whatsoever. This is neither justice nor law. Eoin is back in Limerick prison and continues with his hunger strike that is now into its seventh day. Conor Cregan and Edward Horgan later visited him in the prison. He looked pale and weak, but he is determined to fight this additional injustice being imposed on him. He is now seeking a High Court writ of Habeas Corpus.
Eoin Rice is not the only such peace activist being treated in this manner before the Irish courts. There is now an urgent and immediate need for a special Peace Defense Fund to support these defenders of peace and civil rights.
All those interested in helping with this cause of justice should contact either Tim Hourigan or Edward Horgan

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Comments (8 of 8)

Vigil outside Limerick prison today (Friday), 6.00pm

by Anonymous

Fri Feb 20, 2004 14:37

Owen Rice Prison Vigil Friday 20th February 6.00pm At Limerick Prison

by Joe Sheehan - MAMA Thursday, Feb 19 2004, 4:13pm
address: mama.mail@email.com
limerick / crime and justice / event notice

Owen Rice is still on hunger strike in Limerick Prison where he is be unjustly held.

Owen is not receiving his full privileges and is being threatened that his visiting rights will be removed if he stays on hunger strike.

Jackie Healy Ray on Eoin Rice hunger strike

by Justin Morahan - Peace People

Fri Feb 20, 2004 12:17

"A TERROR TO GOD!"
Jackie Healy Ray, T.D. came out of Dáil Éireann on Thursday morning while the large protest on behalf of Eoin Rice was in progress.
As he walked quickly to a waiting car, I walked alongside and told him in brief of the assault on Eoin in Galway, of Judge Mangan's change of bail conditions in Clare without a request from the Prosecution and of Eoin's resultant ongoing hunger strike in Limerick prison, then in its eighth day.
As he sat into the car, Mr Healy Ray commented "It's a terror to God!" before he was driven quickly away.

Please write to Eoin - Full address & appeal from the Cork Anti-War Campaign & Fintan Lane

Fri Feb 20, 2004 11:57

Dear all,

As you may know, an anti-war activist is currently locked up in Limerick Prison because of his refusal, on principle, to accept a ban from County Clare as part of his bail conditions. Owen Rice, a 34-year-old
Dublin-based activist, was arrested in Shannon at the time of the December 6th
anti-war demonstration and charged with reversing badly in a carpark. His arrest was directly related to the protest and his involvement.

The alleged offence was minor and Owen was released on E5 bail at the time. He appeared in court last Thursday before Judge Joseph Mangan, who has made a habit of banning anti-war activists from County Clare, regardless of the circumstances. When Mangan realised that Owen was an anti-war activist he immediately added a ban from County Clare to his bail conditions, despite the minor nature of the motoring offence involved. Owen's reaction was one of shock and he refused to accept the ban, which he correctly sees as part of a sustained effort by Judge Mangan to undermine anti-war protests in the Shannon area. Consequently, he was sent to jail where he immediately began a
hunger strike.

Owen is challenging the legitimacy of this ban before the High Court on March 1st, but in the meantime he needs our support. The Cork Anti-War Campaign is asking people to write cards and letters of support to Owen
Rice expressing solidarity with the stance he is taking. Prison is an isolating experience and such letters are incredibly important, so please do put in the effort and drop him a line. His address is:

Owen Rice,
Prisoner of conscience,
D-Wing, Limerick Prison,
Mulgrave Street,
Limerick.

We would appreciate it if you could write as soon as possible.

With very best wishes,

Fintan Lane

corkantiwar@hotmail.com

An outrage

by J O'Mahony

Thu Feb 19, 2004 14:34

Its great to see the guards wearing their numbers. I wonder is that why the judge looks so amazed?
Seriously though, this situation is absolutely outrageous. There should be some way of curbing the excesses of the judiciary, they do not seem to occupy the same mindspace as the rest of humanity, and this seems to be part of the problem.
It certainly looks to be contrary to the constitution. Why has nobody taken this to the high court? Take it to the supreme court or European court of human rights if necessary.

Write to Eoin - Express your support & solidarity

Thu Feb 19, 2004 11:59

Taken from another Indymedia article/thread:-

Solidarity with Eoin Rice
by A reader Wednesday, Feb 18 2004, 7:32pm
Fintan (Lane) made a speech at last nights Cork anti war public meeting specifically about Eoin Rice and calling on people to write to him and support him......Great meeting by the way. The American Military Families Against the War guy was excellent. About 60 or 70 there I thought.

http://www.indymedia.ie/newswire.php?story_id=63442

The address is just Eoin Rice c/o Limerick Prison, I assume???

There was also a small article on this on todays Times.

This situation is outrageous.

Has any protest down in Clare/Limerick been planned for the weekend???

Follow the story at related link:

by .

Wed Feb 18, 2004 21:18

by Slarti

Wed Feb 18, 2004 20:23

No, as the quote above shows Mary is dealing with a Circuit Court judge. Mangen is just a District Court judge. It's even more worrying that a circuit court judge feels he can get away with this...

Is Mangan also in charge of the Mary Kelly ban?

by Phuq Hedd

Wed Feb 18, 2004 20:05

From The Independent today:
QUOTE: " Ban on anti-war activist retained
A CIRCUIT court judge has refused to lift a ban on anti-war activist Mary Kelly entering Co Clare after gardai expressed concern over the application.
At Ennis Circuit Court yesterday, the retrial of Ms Kelly (50), who is charged with causing criminal damage to a US military plane at Shannon was adjourned to June 15."

RESPONSE: I wonder how this will dovetail with the Bush visit. Does this mean it'll be before June 15th or is the government gambling on there being no interest.

At any rate Mangan is showing himself to be out of his depth rapidly.

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Eoin Rice v Judge Mangan, the Banner Judge

Comments (8 of 8)