Noel and Marie Murray

Brother Psychosis

I've searched everywhere but can't find anything-does anyone know what sentence they got on appeal or when they were released? the only reference i can find is in relation to the constitutional case

Brother Psychosis

I only ask as i saw an article recently that said Malcolm McArthur is now the longest serving prisoner in the state, i was sure it was the Murrays

chasm

According to these links they were released in 1992, after serving 15 years,

http://www.capitalpunishmentuk.org/ireland.html

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/solicitor-sought-fees-up-front-for-defence-of-gardas-killers-66494.html

jaybeeveedub

the murray case was all about the pair not being guilty of capital murder as it was a new crime as such the intent aspect had to be strict.... noel's conviction for capital murder was quashed and marie's overturned and a retrial ordered.... hence no death penalty... that indo link suggests they received the death penalty but it was commuted.....?? Yet there was only a year between the conviction and the SC hearing....

Brother Psychosis

Death was commuted to life on appeal, but i couldn't find what they actually served, thanks for the info

jaybeeveedub

not quite.....

it would seem that the pair were convicted of capital murder, sentenced to death but refused to ask for clemency....

as we were new to EEC apparently we were quite sensitive as to our international profile and the president commuted their sentences without their appeal for clemency....

then on appeal their sentences for capital murder were quashed and ordered for retrial respectively resulting in two convictions for common murder instead....

doesn't really answer your question about who's the longest serving prisoner mind you, but I learned something!!

makes you wonder about the constitutional claim for the right to have children if they were on regular life sentences.....

chasm

Up to 2009 the longest serving prisoner in an Irish prison was Jimmy Ennis, who had served 20 years more than McArthur. He was to be released in 2009 though.

http://www.herald.ie/national-news/longest-serving-prisoner-to-get-out-1726088.html

Delancey

The Murrays conviction for the Capital Murder of Garda Michael Reynolds in September 1975 was set aside because the Garda was at the time in plain clothes and not clearly identifiable as a Garda.
The circumstances were they ( and an accomplice ) robbed the Bank of Ireland at Killester in Dublin and the Garda who was off-duty and with his family gave chase.
The pursuit ended in St. Annes park where the Garda was shot dead.

While in jail they brought a case to permit them to enjoy ' conjugal rights ' this case failed and IIRC the judge basically ruled that in prison one loses many rights and this was just one of them ( doubtless the judgement was more eloquently worded )

As already mentioned the Murrays were released in the early 1990's though Marie Murray had enjoyed a number of temporary releases prior to this.
To my knowledge they now live a quiet life and carfully avoid any sort of media exposure.