“Boston College declined Judge Young’s offer to seek a stay and appeal his decision”
In the Irish Times, Kevin Cullen adds a significant detail to the Boston College archive ruling. From the Irish Times report
Boston College declined Judge Young’s offer to seek a stay and appeal his decision, saying it would turn the records over to him by tomorrow.
Tags: Archives, Boston College, Government, International, Ireland, Media, Northern Ireland, Parties, Policing, Society, Subpoena, Terrorism, UK, USA
Topic: Government, Society and Culture
Region: Global, Ireland, Northern Ireland, UK
Topic: Government, Society and Culture
Region: Global, Ireland, Northern Ireland, UK
“Boston College is agreeing with the Judge for an in camera review of the material.”
It’s a bit more than that. They’re agreeing that material gathered for academic purposes can be used for the purposes of criminal prosecution, thereby conceding the principle that academic research is just another branch of police investigation.
Whether the judge determines that the material is relevant is neither here nor there, since they conceed by agreeing to hand over the material that if it is deemed to be relevant then it is to be used for criminal prosecution. It’s an abrogation of responsibility on the part of BC to simply sa in the manner of Pontius Pilate, ‘Let the court decide.’
The fact remains, however, that the PSNI are on a fishing expedition since they have no basis at all to claim to know that the content of the tapes is relevant to a police investigation. Their ‘good faith belief’ that it is relevant has been exposed as entirely bogus, being based on a misleading impression created by an NI journalist that he had access to the tapes and that the content is relevant. That misleading impression was also used by the authrorities to claim that as the journalist had access to the tatpes that the confidentiality of them was null and void.
That ‘good faith belief’ is entirely bogus since the PSNI made no effort to consolidate it; and that failure in itself shows bad faith.
“thereby conceding the principle that academic research is just another branch of police investigation”
Twaddle. Noone is above the law. There apperas to be evdience of very seriosu criminal offences iheld in this archive. It should be accessed.
It is strange that those who here often berate the British Governmnet for alleged cover ups dont wnat this little cess pit opened up. Now, wheyever not?
Dont the victims deserve justice?
“PSNI are on a fishing expedition” … that doesnt appear to bg how the Judge sees it. Still we will know when he has seen the material. If its not relevant they wont get it. If it is, they will.
” That ‘good faith belief’ is entirely bogus ” ….fine. Complain to the Ombudsman. Ask Catatonia to raise it in the Policing Board. Sure she can put manners ofn a few more cops while she’s there
“There apperas to be evdience of very seriosu criminal offences iheld in this archive.”
How do you know what is on the Price tape? That is pure speculation on your part. It is certainly no basis for a required “good faith belief” on your part or on the part of the PSNI.
If you feel that strongly about it, you should have no objection is the state searches your private papers on the spurious assumption that something incriminating might lurk therein. Do you not believe in you have a right to privacy from the state?
Sorry… my typing is almost as bad as yours.
Anthony McIntyre is Belfasts answer to Limericks Frank McCourt,and Dublins Sean O Casey.Hounded for telling the truth.Hounded for doing a days work.A whispering campaign started against people for working is a low as you can go.
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