Ireland Case No. 29767Manslaughter; assault; production of an article · Co. Dublin · 26 Oct 2013
Man acquitted of manslaughter in Dublin
Ronan Byrne, 31, of Blanchardstown, Dublin, struck James Marren, 57, his mother's partner, with a baseball bat during a dispute at their home on 26 October 2013, fracturing Marren's leg. Marren died on 31 October 2013 when a blood clot developed in his casted leg and travelled to his heart. Byrne pleaded not guilty to manslaughter, assault causing harm, and production of an article at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court, where the trial opened on 23 September 2021. On the ninth day of the trial, on 6 October 2021, a jury returned unanimous not guilty verdicts on all charges after deliberating for over three and a half hours.
- Reportednot reported
- Arrestednot reported
- Chargednot reported
- In court23 Sep
2 reports - Acquitted6 Oct
2 reports - Sentenced
reportedhappened, not reportedlatest stagenot yet
Key facts
consolidated from all reports- What happened
- Ronan Byrne, 31, struck James Marren, 57, with a baseball bat during a dispute at their home, fracturing Marren's leg.
- Where
- The incident occurred at Lohunda Downs, Clonsilla, Blanchardstown, Dublin.
- When
- The assault and production of the bat occurred on 26 October 2013, and Marren died on 31 October 2013.
- Cause
- A blood clot developed in Marren's casted leg and travelled to his heart, which proved fatal.
- Weapon
- A wooden baseball bat.
- Charges
- Byrne was charged with manslaughter, assault causing harm, and production of an article.
- In court
- The trial was held at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury, opening on 23 September 2021.
- Sentence
- On the ninth day of trial, the jury returned unanimous not guilty verdicts on all charges after deliberating for over three and a half hours.
- Other details
- Marren was Byrne's mother's partner, and the two had been in a relationship for at least 13 years.
- The defence argued the death was a freak event and that the deep vein thrombosis was too remote from the original incident to constitute a cause of death.
38 statements extracted from the articles
- whatRonan Byrne, 31, of Lohunda Downs, Clonsilla, Blanchardstown, Dublin, pleaded not guilty to the unlawful killing of James Marren. (thejournal.ie)
- whatByrne also denies production of a baseball bat during a dispute and assault of James Marren causing him harm five days earlier. (thejournal.ie)
- whatMarren was hospitalised with a fractured leg after an altercation in the family home. (thejournal.ie)
- whatMarren would verbally abuse the defendant and often struck him or choked him. (thejournal.ie)
- whatThe defendant was afraid of Marren and would never hit back or speak up for himself. (thejournal.ie)
- whatThe defendant went into his bedroom to check on his daughter and Marren followed him. (thejournal.ie)
- whatThere was a scuffle and the two men were holding each other in a headlock. (thejournal.ie)
- whatThe defendant walked off and returned holding a wooden bat which he struck the deceased with around two or three times. (thejournal.ie)
- whatCiaran Byrne said the whole incident lasted about 30 seconds. (thejournal.ie)
- whatAfterwards the defendant left the house with his daughter. (thejournal.ie)
- whatMarren was brought to hospital in an ambulance and came home the next day with his leg in a cast. (thejournal.ie, irishtimes.com)
- whatOn the fourth morning Ciaran Byrne saw Marren getting pale in the face and began to telephone an ambulance. (thejournal.ie)
- whatCillian Byrne said he saw the two men in headlocks and that his brother struck the deceased with a wooden bat two or three times. (irishtimes.com)
- whatCillian Byrne said the whole incident lasted about 30 seconds. (irishtimes.com)
- whatThe whole incident lasted about 30 seconds. (thejournal.ie)
- whatThe defendant said he hit Marren a couple of times to the head and legs. (thejournal.ie)
- whereThe incident occurred at Lohunda Downs, Clonsilla, Blanchardstown, Dublin. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe incident occurred at Lohunda Downs, Clonsilla, Blanchardstown. (irishtimes.com)
- whereThe incident took place at Lohunda Downs, Clonsilla, Blanchardstown, Dublin. (thejournal.ie)
- whenThe unlawful killing of James Marren occurred on 31 October 2013. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe assault and production of the baseball bat occurred on 26 October 2013, five days earlier. (irishtimes.com)
- whenThe assault took place on 26 October 2013. (irishtimes.com)
- whenMarren died on 31 October 2013. (irishtimes.com, thejournal.ie)
- whenThe bat incident occurred on 26 October 2013. (thejournal.ie)
- causeA blood clot developed in Marren's leg and travelled to his heart, proving fatal. (thejournal.ie)
- causeA blood clot developed in the casted leg and travelled to Marren's heart, which was fatal. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe trial was opened at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court on 23 September 2021. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe trial continues before Judge Patricia Ryan and a jury. (thejournal.ie, irishtimes.com)
- courtByrne pleaded not guilty at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com, thejournal.ie)
- courtThe trial was held at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty on the manslaughter charge on the ninth day of the trial. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe jury also returned unanimous not guilty verdicts on the charges of assault and production of an article. (irishtimes.com)
- courtThe jury returned a unanimous verdict of not guilty on the charge of manslaughter. (thejournal.ie)
- courtThe jury also returned unanimous not guilty verdicts on assault and production of an article after deliberating over three-and-a-half hours. (thejournal.ie)
- otherThe evidence says this was the first time Byrne hit Marren back. (irishtimes.com)
- otherThe only purpose of Byrne striking Marren was to stop him getting up so he could get out of the house. (irishtimes.com)
- otherMarren discharged himself from hospital the day after the incident. (thejournal.ie)
- otherCillian Byrne testified he was aged 16 in October 2013 when the incident occurred. (thejournal.ie)
The reporting
newest first- 6 Oct2021Man acquitted of manslaughter of his mother's former partner
Reports the acquittal on the ninth day of trial, including testimony from the defendant's brother Cillian Byrne and mother Mairead Byrne, details of the bat incident, and the medical cause of death (blood clot travelling from leg to heart).
accused, Ronan Byrne, 31, male, named, irish (judged from name)Ronan Byrnevictim, James Marren, 57, male, irish (judged from name)James Marren - 6 Oct2021Man (31) found not guilty of manslaughter of mother’s partner
Reports the acquittal of Ronan Byrne on all charges after a nine-day trial at Dublin Circuit Criminal Court. The jury deliberated for over 3½ hours before returning unanimous not guilty verdicts.
victim, James Marren, 57, male, irish (judged from name)James Marrenaccused, Ronan Byrne, 31, male, named, irish (judged from name)Ronan Byrne - 5 Oct2021Death of man involved in altercation ‘a freak event’, court told
Reports the defence's closing speech in the manslaughter trial, in which counsel argued the death was a freak event, Byrne acted reasonably and proportionally, and the deep vein thrombosis was too remote from the original incident to constitute a cause of death.
victim, James Marren, 57, male, irish (judged from name)James Marrenaccused, Ronan Byrne, 31, male, named, irish (judged from name)Ronan Byrne - 23 Sep2021Man on trial for manslaughter of his mother's partner
Reports the opening of the trial, including prosecution and defence evidence about the October 2013 incident, the blood clot that killed Marren, and testimony from the defendant's brother Ciaran Byrne.
accused, Ronan Byrne, 31, male, named, irish (judged from name)Ronan Byrnevictim, James Marren, male, irish (judged from name)James Marren