Irish man cleared of US murder

An Irish man accused of killing a passenger on a party boat by throwing him into the San Francisco Bay has been found not guilty of murder charges, but a jury deadlocked on one charge each of voluntary and involuntary manslaughter.

William Monaghan was accused of throwing a Swiss computer animator, Lionel Voillat, over the side of a party boat in October after an argument over Mr Voillat’s girlfriend.

Monaghan’s lawyer argued it done in self defence.

“He was attacked. He was attacked twice and he never threw a punch,” Kenneth Quigley said after the verdict was announced.

The San Francisco Superior Court judge asked jurors to try to make progress toward a decision on the two manslaughter charges, and ordered them back into deliberations yesterday afternoon.

Monaghan’s family flew to San Francisco for the verdict. They did not speak to reporters and left the courtroom shortly after the verdicts were read.