I have posted on P.ie previously about Catherine Nevin. Breaking News reported this today. Catherine Nevin was demonised by the Press and convicted on the basis of very strange evidence by informants.

Quote :

10/06/2008 - 18:09:59
The DPP is opposed to handing over files relating to the Dublin Monaghan bombings being sought by convicted murderer Catherine Nevin in her bid to have her conviction declared a miscarriage of justice.

Ms Nevin has initiated proceedings before the Court of Criminal Appeal in which she is arguing that material not given to her lawyers at the time of her trial contained information casting doubt on the credibility and motivation of key prosecution witnesses in the case.

In a motion to the court, Ms Nevin's lawyers are seeking an order that the DPP disclose all material and documents relating to her case. Ms Nevin's lawyers contend that documents - including material on the Dublin Monaghan bombing and garda security files on witnesses Gerry Heapes, John Jones and William McClean - are relevant and would assist her in undermining the credibility of the three men. She claims the documents may also potentially undermine the credibility of another State witness, Patrick Russell.

At the CCA today, Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman was told that the DPP is opposing the motion to handing over the material requested by Ms Nevin's lawyers. The judge adjourned the matter to a date later next month to allow both sides exchange affidavits on the discovery motion.

The material sought includes what the Nevin side describes as security files indicating that Mr McClean was a suspect in the Dublin/Monaghan bombings of 1974.
Ms Nevin claims Mr McClean had denied during the trial he had any paramilitary connections, but that a Garda Special Branch file going back to 1974 would have an effect on his credibility in that regard.

Ms Nevin is also alleging a failure to disclose material relating to her husband and to Jack White's Inn. She claims the material includes security files indicating that the pub was on a list of pubs with suspected IRA connections. It is understood Ms Nevin will argue that any such material would indicate an alternative motive for killing Mr Nevin.

An appeal against her conviction was dismissed in 2003 by the CCA but Ms Nevin has now brought proceedings under the Crime Procedure Act 1993 to have her case declared a miscarriage of justice.

Ms Nevin (aged 55) was convicted after a 42-day trial in April 2000 of the murder of her husband Tom at their pub, Jack White's Inn, Brittas Bay, on March 19, 1996.

She was also convicted on three counts of soliciting three different men to kill her husband in 1989 and 1990, six years before his murder. She is serving a life sentence on the murder charge and a total of seven years on the soliciting charges.

The best I can do at the moment for links -

http://www.politics.ie/viewtopic.php?f=164&t=31947

Catherine Nevin appeal begins.
national | rights and freedoms | other press Déardaoin Feabhra 21, 2008 12:10 by tomeile

Catherine Nevin’s appeal against her conviction for murder began in the Court of Appeal yesterday. Ms Nevin was convicted in 2000 of the murder of her husband Tom at their pub, Jack White's Inn, Brittas Bay, on March 19, 1996. The appeal will be based on evidence that prosecutors failed to disclose at her original trial that witnesses , William McClean and former provos Gerry Heapes and John Jones ,were long-standing police informers . Nevin’s lawyer ,Anne Fitzgibbon , is seeking access to classified documents including security files which indicate that Mr McClean was a suspect in the Dublin/Monaghan bombings of 1974.

http://www.independent.ie/national-news/black-widow-nev....html

If anyone remembers this trial, the evidence was from informants and Catherine Nevin was demonised and vilified in the Press as the "Black Widow" throughout the trial.

Spit it out Cactus. Are you saying she was framed.

youngdan wrote:

Spit it out Cactus. Are you saying she was framed.

I am saying that throughout the trial the prosecution evidence sounded to me preposterous and it was very hard on the basis of the press reports of the evidence to understand how a conviction was obtained. The Press reporting which focused on Catherine Nevin's appearance and labelled her the "Black Widow" was shocking.
The fact that she has maintained her innocence and done everything she possibly could since conviction to clear her name adds to it. I don't understand anything about the politics / paramilitary side of it - I am relying only on the evidence in court, as reported at the time in the press.

I have a nose for dodgy evidence and never for one moment thought Nora Wall, the nun convicted for complicity with rape (later found innocent) was guilty.

I'm in agreement with CF.

This is pure opinion and hearsay on my behalf. I have a friend who was a tenant of Catherine Nevin. He attended the case when she was convicted. He thought it disgraceful, the amount of evidence that was not allowed, due to the potential damage it could cause to the State. And indeed, he also thought it disgraceful, that all concerned, involved themselves in blackening her name, before and during the case.

If the above is a little too strong - feel free to mod it (I don't think it is myself).

The state lies all the time and innocent people are convicted as we have seen time and time again. In simple cases like the guilford four everyone believes it but at the next level the doubters are called loons.

21/10/2008 - 18:52:17
Lawyers representing convicted murderer Catherine Nevin have initiated proceedings aimed at having the DPP or Garda commissioner disclose whether three men who gave evidence at her trial were State informers.

The application is part of Mrs Nevin's bid to have the conviction after a 42 day trial in April 2000 of the murder of her husband Tom at their pub, Jack White's Inn, Brittas Bay, on March 19, 1996, declared a miscarriage of justice.

Ms Nevin claims that material not given to her lawyers at the time of her trial contain information casting doubt on the credibility and motivation of key prosecution witnesses in the case.

When the case was mentioned at the CCA yesterday, Mr Justice Adrian Hardiman heard that Mrs Nevin's legal team are seeking an order requiring the DPP to answer the question whether three witnesses at her trial William McClean, Gerard Heapes and John Jones were ever state informers, or if Mr McClean had paramilitary connections.

Ms Nevin's solicitor Anne Fitzgibbon said that she is also seeking an order, pursuant to Section 3 of the Criminal Procedure Act 1993 directing the Garda Commissioner to carry out an investigation to establish whether the three men were ever informers and if Mr McClean had paramilitary connections.

Today Mr Justice Hardiman adjourned the case to a date in mid November.
The Judge also directed that legal submissions in relation to the orders being sought by Mrs Nevin be filed with the court in advance of that date.

In 2000 Mrs Nevin (aged 55) was also convicted on three counts of soliciting three different men to kill her husband in 1989 and 1990, six years before his murder.

She is serving a life sentence on the murder charge and a concurrent seven year term on the soliciting charges. Ms Nevin's appeal against her conviction was dismissed in 2003 by the CCA.

breaking news.ie

Not to go off topic, but I was down in Jack White's a few weeks ago - what a rip off.

johnfás wrote:

Not to go off topic, but I was down in Jack White's a few weeks ago - what a rip off.

Just be thankful you weren't there on March 19 1996.