A JURY has failed to agree a verdict on a man charged with the manslaughter of a young garda.
The 12-member jury could not agree yesterday at Letterkenny Circuit Court whether Jamie McGrenaghan was guilty of the manslaughter of Garda Robbie McCallion on April 6th, 2009.
McGrenaghan (19), was driving a car which knocked down Garda McCallion at Tara Court in Letterkenny on March 26th, 2009, leaving him with head injuries. He had been with another man and had stolen a car, only to be trapped in a cul-de-sac by gardaí.
Garda McCallion (29), from Co Mayo, was thrown into the air when McCallion hit him while trying to escape. He died at Beaumont Hospital on April 6th.
The jury retired yesterday at 2.14pm and returned with a verdict just before 4pm. It found the accused guilty of reckless endangerment of Garda McCallion’s colleagues Joanne Doherty and Shane Lavelle after he drove towards them in the Peugeot car.
It sought more time to consider the manslaughter charge after telling Judge John O’Hagan that its members could not reach a decision. After 4.30pm the jury again returned to say it could not agree on a decision of manslaughter.
The jury was discharged and Alex Owens, for the State, said he would tell the judge on Monday whether the State wishes to proceed with a retrial. McGrenaghan, of Gortnatra, Kerrykeel, will be sentenced next month after being found guilty on the reckless endangerment charge.