Le Matinal: Michaela McAreavey case adjourned after defence lawyer withdraws

Michaela McAreavey case adjourned after defence lawyer withdraws
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La Rédaction on Wednesday 30th of May 2012 - 16:02:00
 
Earlier, a police officer gave evidence that the lawyer, Mr Ravi Rutnah, had
been present when one of the defendants Avinash Treebhoowoon, made a statement
implicating himself and the other accused in the murder.
Chief Inspector Luciano Gerard also said in evidence that he had shared food
with Mr Rutnah and Avinash Treebhoowoon while the suspect was in custody.
He described the atmosphere at that time as “congenial”'.
Defence lawyers also announced today that they intend to call a number of
witnesses, including a former attorney general Jean-Claude Bibi, and that they
want to produce in court records of a number of cases in which police brutality
was an issue.
In his statement, Mr Treebhoowoon, 30, the defendant implicated himself and the
other man accused of the killing, Sandip Moonea.
Mr Treebhoowoon detailed how Michaela McAreavey surprised him in her hotel room
at the Legends Hotel.
The police inspector told the court that Mr Rutnah was present while the
statement was being made and that the defendant signed it afterwards.
The court also heard how the defendant had participated in a reconstruction of
the event, described in his statement, and was photographed doing so by a police
photographer.
In one of those photographs, he showed where he grabbed one of Michaela
McAreavey's legs, while Sandip Moonea strangled her.
The 27-year-old daughter of Tyrone football manager Mickey Harte was found dead
in her hotel room while on honeymoon in January last year.
The hearing continues.
_Source: RTE News_