Jury to resume deliberations in trial of Shannon Airport protestors

THE jury in the trial of two US army veterans accused of trespass and criminal damage offences at Shannon Airport is due to resume its deliberations this morning. 

The jurors in the trial, which is being taking place at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, had been deliberating for two hours and 20 minutes when they were sent home on Friday afternoon.

Ken Mayers, aged 85, of Monte Alte Road, Santa Fe, New Mexico and Tarak Kauff, aged 80, of Arnold Drive, Woodstock, New York have each pleaded not guilty to trespass, criminal damage and interfering with the operation, safety or management of Shannon Airport on March 17, 2019.

The jury has heard evidence that both men served in the United States military before becoming anti-war activists in the 1960s. They are members of a US-based group called Veterans for Peace.

Both defendants have acknowledged cutting a hole in the fence and walking onto the airport runway. They said they did so to protest against the United States' military use of Shannon as a stop-over, en route to and from areas such as the Middle East, where the military is involved.

In his closing speech to the jury Tony McGillicuddy BL, prosecuting, acknowledged the jury might have sympathy for the two defendants.

“They are sincere and honourable persons,” he said telling the jurors they must put sympathy aside and have regard to the law in the case.

Jury in Shannon Airport trespass trial sent home for the weekend

Michael Hourigan BL, defending Mr Mayers, told the jury that the issue was the lawfulness of the actions of the two men and the honest and reasonable beliefs that they held.

He said the prosecution's description of the man as sincere and honourable was “a tacit concession that what they tell you they believe, is a sincere and honestly-held position on their part”.

In her closing speech, Carol Doherty BL, defending Mr Kauff, said "the best thing about the law in Ireland” is that there is a built-in mechanism to ensure that in the right circumstances, a person cannot be convicted of criminal damage, provided they can show they honestly believed their actions were lawful.

She said no airlines lost any money as a result of the airport closure and delays were minimal.