Hey, there! Log in / Register

Dorchester teen found not guilty of murdering Irish immigrant

A Suffolk Superior Court jury today acquitted John Graham, 19, of Lynn on a charge of first-degree murder for the death of Ciaran Conneely following the annual Irish festival in Adams Corner on Oct. 10, 2011, the Suffolk County District Attorney's office reports.

Prosecutors had charged Graham killed Conneely in a robbery attempt on Nahant Avenue.

The jury did convict Graham for shooting two men, 18 and 20, about three weeks later on Monsignor Lydon Way. He faces up to 20 years for the attempted murder conviction and up to 20 years on each of the attempted robbery convictions in that case, the DA's office reports.

Neighborhoods: 
Topics: 


Ad:


Like the job UHub is doing? Consider a contribution. Thanks!

Comments

I'm surprised about that.

Weren't there enough people to rob on the North Shore?

up
Voting closed 0

My apologies for the mistake in the headline, which I've fixed. The DA's office sent out a single press release on two cases, one about this guy, the other on a completely different guy from Lynn being convicted of second-degree murder during a completely unrelated drug robbery on Trull Street. It was a bit hectic yesterday, and "Lynn" stuck in my mind for some reason when I wrote up this post.

up
Voting closed 0

"Knowing our liberal judges, he will be out in a few years to murder someone else, just like all those before him. What this state really needs is a mandatory death penalty for crimes like this. By hanging, short drop style." Someone literally posted that when he was first arrested in link from above story. This guy was right on the money. Whoever you are you should buy a power ball..

up
Voting closed 0

Note that he was found NOT GUILTY.

This is why an arrest isn't enough. This system is original intent - See also: The Bill of Rights.

up
Voting closed 0

You know swirly, some people are just plain hopeless - they won't learn until they or their kid runs into one of those friendly, not guilty fellas in a dark alley.

up
Voting closed 0

Yeah, it's a real shame we can't just lock up black kids whenever we want without a trial, amirite?

up
Voting closed 0

A cold-blooded murderer who shot three people is still just a poor black kid, amazing. It's a damn shame all those thugs usually rob and kill close to where they live instead of "working" the wealthy burbs drowning in white guilt tears. W burb lawyers ensure thugs stay free, middle-class dot/rox folks get to deal with the consequences.

up
Voting closed 0

What part of "not guilty" don't you get?

up
Voting closed 0

What are you, 700 years old?

up
Voting closed 0

Jury nullification happens every day. This guy is in jail but many others are let off only to prey on the community the nullifiers come from. You reap what you sow.

up
Voting closed 0

from "unaminous vote", which is an outrageously high standard, to "majority vote (say 11 out of 12)", which is the common, and far more reasonable, standard by which all other business in this country (from holding elections to enacting laws) is conducted.

up
Voting closed 0

Go ahead and try, but the people who wrote the unanimous jury law were pretty clear about their reasons.

up
Voting closed 0

you're a strict Constructionist. LOL.

up
Voting closed 0

And courts to interpret it. So people like you can't just decide, on a whim, to make shit up.

No court has EVER interpreted that particular bit of law as anything other than 12 of 12 voting to convict.

up
Voting closed 0

Not sure if you want a picture of the boy, but this is him...

https://scontent-b-lga.xx.fbcdn.net/hphotos-frc3/t1.0-9/10009825_6375094...

up
Voting closed 0

"worn new, not guilty, never worn again"

up
Voting closed 0

Kevin Cullen reports on the case and the prosecution's relatively weak case:

But despite some compelling testimony and circumstantial evidence, it was always going to be a hard sell. They never found the weapon. There wasn’t any forensic evidence tying Graham to the scene, just testimony from those who say he confessed to the killing.

up
Voting closed 0

I feel for the family, but even Cullen, who knew the guy, noted the problems with the case. Poor witnesses, no physical link to the crime- these are tough. At least this sociopath is going away for the other armed robberies/attempts at murder.

Cullen had an article on the whole BC-Northern Ireland dustup a little while back. Aside from the selective desire for the records (wanting to make Adams look bad while not caring about Loyalist-RUC collusion), he made an interesting point about how interviews do not equal confessions, hence the interviews will do nothing when/if the IRA cases go to court.

up
Voting closed 0

Kiwi, sorry you have been let down. "There may be law in America, but they do not have justice."

up
Voting closed 0

Why do so many accused get away with murder? Sure, occasionally police get the wrong guy, but it can't happen all that often. Don't the people selected for these juries see what happens when murderers get away? Hint: most of them don't take it as a second chance to turn their lives around.

up
Voting closed 0

That's why we have trials. Read Cullen's piece in today's Globe. Unlike the rest of us, he knew the victim, but in the end it was a muddy case. Would you rather that 50 innocent people go to jail so that the one guilty guy goes down?

Besides, this kid is going away for long time for other crimes. If there is karma, Conneely's friends and family will be at every parole hearing.

up
Voting closed 0