Community and Family March on the First Anniversary of Terence Wheelock's Death.

dublin | crime and justice | feature

Monday September 18, 2006 01:02

by Jim

Walking to Store street Garda station

There was a large turnout today on the 1st anniversary of Terrence Wheelock who died as a result of injuries received in Garda custody. About 500 people from the Sean McDermot Street and Summerhill community turned out in support of the Wheelock familes demand for an independent inquiry. The protest was preceded by a mass in Sean McDermot Street church. Other groups that came to show their support included activists with Residents Against Racism, Working Class Action, Sinn Fein, Labour and the Workers Solidarity Movement. The family of John Maloney also came out in solidarity as well as independent T.D. Tony Gregory, Cieran Perry, Christy Burke of Sinn Fein and Joe Costello of Labour.

Larry Wheelock addressed the crowd and was followed by Joe Costello speaking on behalf of the local public representatives (Burke and Gregory) and Cieran Perry then spoke.

Previous Indymedia Coverage:
Interview with Laurence Wheelock – Terence's Brother Mar 2006
Interview with Esther and Larry Wheelock– May 2006
Wheelock family move out of Summerhill– after intimidation July 2006
first mention of Terence on the newswire who was in a coma at the time July 2005
Original report of Terences death, followed by Garda responses in comments

Terence wheelock died on the 16th of september 05, from injuries he sustained on the 2nd of june 05 while in the care and custody of the gardai at store st garda station Dublin 1.
For three long months Terence Wheelock fought for his life in intensive care at the mater hospital.
Finally his family made the distressing and tough discision to turn the machine off.

One year on from his death the family are organizing a public protest 16/09/06 2.30pm sean mcdermot st church, to highlight the many unanswered and disturbing aspects of this tragic case.
In that year the family has suffered intimidation, harrasment, and assaults by gardai in there own home at summerhill D1.
Also in the year 16 months after the appaling injuries terence suffered. the extent of these injuries are only coming to light,
they are consistent with a severe beating, defence marks and blunt trauma to the brain, also bruise's to his back and legs are consistent with some sort of assault and all correspond at time of arrest.

To date the Gardai have failed to answer any of the disturbing questions surrounding terence arrest and detention and subsequent death.

Why was the cell renovated immediately after terence removal, dispite a court order by a solicitor to inspect the cell.

Why did it take 10 mins {by gardai's own admission} to ring emergency services.

Why want the gardai return terence clothes to his family?

why where there bruises on his body and severe brain injurie consistent with blunt trauma?

Why were the family driven across the city to the wrong hospital?

Why was the custody record doctored and intervered with?

Why was terence found in a hallway of the station and not in the cell by emergency services?

To date none of these questions have been elaborated on, nor explained.
The gardai did release a press release but none of its content explains how terence manage to bore through solid concrete with his bare hands,
in what gardai themselves call suicide safe cells.
Nor those it answer or explain any of the above questions in to this deeply disturbing death, furthermore the press release contents elaborate on the damage to a car and property, something terence wheelock was never charged with. This has failed the family.
Has raised more questions than answers and has severly damaged the gardai's reputation in the area and the wider community as a whole.

In that year it has also been revealed that the internal garda investigation, by a so called independent investigar namely Garda Oliver Hanley who himselve served 15 years at store st.
Has had TWO roles in this case. For the last 16 months he has objected to the release through the courts of terence wheelocks clothes to the family it is quite strange why he is doing this. The family want them independently tested. The withholding of these clothes has held the inquest up and caused futher hearthache to the family the gardai have been quite callous and cold towards the family garda oliver hanley never consulted the family with regard to his independent investigation.
Amazingly it has come to light in the coroners court, that terence clothes HAVE NOT been test by the state forensic lab at the pheonix park.

Instead what has come to light is they have not even been properly or securely stored, instead they have sat in a garda locker at blackrock garda station for 15 months and have not to date been tested.
The more reason why these clothes should be released to the family for tests as contamination could easily occur outside a lab.