McCartney murder trial to begin – 3 face charges
By Bimpe Fatogun
Irish News
10/05/08
THE Robert McCartney murder trial is to begin on Monday. Three men face charges in connection with the death of the east Belfast man outside a bar in the centre of the city in January 2005.
STABBING VICTIM: Robert McCartney
Terence Malachy Davison (51) is charged with murder, James McCormick (39) with affray and Joseph Gerard Emmanuel Fitzpatrick (47) with affray and the assault of a second man.
Mr McCartney (33) was found stabbed to death in Cromac Street close to Magennis’s bar near the nationalist Markets area in the early hours of January 31 2005.
Following the killing and a lack of cooperation with police efforts to investigate it Mr McCartney’s partner and sisters launched a campaign to bring those responsible to justice.
Their efforts gained worldwide at-tention and international pressure mounted on the IRA, whose members were linked with the crime.
Sinn Fein also faced political pressure to help in the investigation.
Mr McCartney, from the nationalist enclave of Short Strand, had been preparing for his wedding to fiancee Bridgeen Hagens in June 2005.
His family, who had lived in Short Strand for five generations, have now all left the area.
His sister Paula has spoken of her need to leave Northern Ireland altogether “to heal”.
