File relating to the case of Mrs Kathleen Stewart who challenged the case of her son, who was killed aged 13 in October 1976 by a plastic bullet in Belfast, to the European Commission for Human Rights. File includes a manuscript letter by Mrs. Stewart to Kevin Boyle (22 Jun 1982) outlining the details of the case and that of the death of her son. The case was strongly backed and supported by Fr. Denis Faul.
Also included are:
TS opinion document on the proposed application made by Mrs. Stewart under the European Convention on Human Rights, this document was prepared by Tony Gifford and is attached in a letter to Boyle from Harriet Harmon, Legal Officer of National Council for Civil Liberties (5 Aug 1982);
TS letter from Richard Balfe, M.E.P., to Boyle, stating "we are hopeful that the Stewart case will make it to Strasbourg". (19 Aug 1982);
Assorted press cuttings with coverage of the Stewart case, its verdict of rejection and general coverage of plastic bullet use.
Assorted press cuttings detailing coverage of use of plastic bullets and baton rounds by police and security forces in Northern Ireland. Includes features and comment on various cases where injuries or death were inflicted by plastic bullet use in Northern Ireland, individual cases and on those people involved in campaigns against their use.
File of TS and MS letters between Kevin Boyle and other campaigners against the use of plastic bullets in Northern Ireland, including Fr. Raymond Murray, Fr. Denis Faul, Francis Keenan, Hurst Hannum of International Human Rights Law Group, D.A. Hill - Private Secretary to Northern Ireland Office, London, Seamus Mallin, Dan Warren, Attorney at Law, Maine, USA, Pat Canavan of the Association of Concerned Teachers, The Law Foundation of New South Wales, Richard H. Rosswurn, University of Cincinnati, J.J. Rice, Solicitor and others. Letters include discussions between Boyle, Faul and Murray and specific cases to be challenged at Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg, discussions on reconvening the International Tribunal on Plastic Bullets (8 Jul 1982); letter to Seamus Mallin from Boyle discussing Farrell Vs. U.K. and the Toman trial (18 Jun 1984); letter from Keenan detailing judgement on case of Sarah Anne Begley v. John Hermon. (24 Nov 1982)
File of TS and MS statements of individuals affected by the use of plastic bullets in Northern Ireland by security forces. Statements are made by individuals who have had family members killed or injured by plastic bullets. Names of those who made statements are included as well as details of the incidents. It is thought these statements were gathered by the Association for Legal Justice. File also includes a letter dated 4 Nov 1982, addressed to Kevin Boyle from Sean McCann of the A.L.J, referring to 'post-tribunal' aspects of concern on use of plastic bullets, to which is attached a report "Conclusion of the Tribunal" being the second international enquiry on plastic bullets, held at the Lake Glen Hotel, Belfast. (16 Oct 1982) TS letter from Anthony J Walsh, Chairman and Secretary of the Association for Legal Justice, Dublin Central Branch, to Kevin Boyle, discussing Walsh's and Carmel Conneely being 'charged with scandalising the Special Criminal Court as a result of an Association statement condemning the death sentence passed on Marie and Noel Murray.
File of documents includes a statement from the Newry Civil Rights Association regarding the shooting dead by army personnel of three men on Hill Street, Newry. The statement with a headline of being published by the Newry Reporter, details the events surrounding the shootings and with comments from witnesses and other civil rights campaigners such as Bernadette Devlin.
Printed newsletters from the National Council for Civil Liberties (Oct -Dec 1982) and Fortnight - An Independent Review for Northern Ireland (issue 182, Jul-Aug 1981) with a headline of A Short History of the Plastic Bullet.
Files of case studies, legal judgements and other related documents used by Kevin Boyle in researching legal issues surrounding plastic bullet use. Also includes "a rough draft of paper" sent to Boyle from Dan Warren on plastic bullet research, possibly a student/research assistant of Boyle's.
Assorted printed pamphlets and publications by Fr. Denis Faul and Fr. Raymond Murray. Booklets include "Plastic Bullets - Plastic Government: Deaths and Injuries by Plastic Bullets, August 1981 - October 1982. "Rubber and Plastic Bullets Kill and Maim: Violations of Human Rights by RUC and British Army in Northern Ireland." "British Army Terror: West Belfast, Sept - Oct 1976" - Case of Brian Stewart. "Michael McCarton - An Innocent Catholic Boy Shot Dead by the RUC, 23 Jul 1980." "They Shoot Children - The Use of Rubber Bullets and Plastic Bullets in the North of Ireland." Also includes a leaflet on the "Questions and Answers About Dum Dum Bullets" from Connecticut Civil Liberties Union, USA.
Records relating to various individual cases of legal investigation into deaths of people in Northern Ireland by British police and/or army members and other related cases involving security and police forces in Northern Ireland.
Files of records relating to the case taken by Olive Farrell against the British Government and taken to the European Court of Human Rights at Strasbourg. Kevin Boyle was acting as Legal Counsel for this case. The case relates to the death of Ms. Farrell's husband and two other men were shot dead on the street in Newry, Co. Down by British army soldiers on 23 October 1971. The dead men were subsequently proved to be unarmed and innocent.