Murder accused was ‘pawn’ in US election battle

AN Irishman at the centre of a high profile “booze cruise” death in the United States believes prosecutors wanted to put him in jail for life to show they were tough on crime in the run up to an election.

William Monaghan was deported last week from his adopted home of San Francisco after pleading guilty to the involuntary manslaughter of Swiss national Lionel Voillat, who died after falling into San Francisco Bay during a Halloween party in October 2002.

The 28-year-old carpenter, now back in his home town of Oldcastle in Co Meath, was handed a two year sentence but was immediately released as he had already spent 18 months behind bars following his arrest immediately after the incident.

Mr Voillat fell into the water during an altercation with Monaghan. San Francisco Superior Court ruled there was no intent to kill, though prosecutors initially pursued a first degree murder charge and the Irishman faced 25 years-to-life in jail on conviction.

He was acquitted of murder last June and a majority of the jury 10 to 2 wanted to clear him of voluntary manslaughter. But prosecutors wanted him to spend substantial time in jail and refused to make a deal that would have allowed him to walk free then.

In an exclusive interview with the Irish Examiner, Monaghan describes the fateful moments that led up to Mr Voillat ending up in the cold waters of the bay, and claims that he was a pawn in a highly charged election battle for District Attorney.

The victim's parents, Serge and Simone, wanted Monaghan to spend more time in jail, though his girlfriend made an impassioned courtroom plea on Monaghan's behalf.

Mr Voillat's fiancee Viva Taylor, the catalyst for the altercation, told the court that she misses him terribly but did not want to see any more life wasted. "I would rather see William Monaghan go back into society and try to have a good life," she said.

Monaghan said: "It's impossible to convey the depth of my sympathy for the family. There's no greater loss than that of a child. I personally do not blame them for wanting to find someone responsible for the loss of their son."