Tánaiste Micheál Martin has expressed his profound regret and embarrassment for the alleged lack of justice in the case of the late French woman, Sophie Toscan du Plantier. He chastised the Irish judicial system specifically and did so at the debut of a new book recounting the horrifying killing of du Plantier, penned by journalist Senan Molony.
Molony journeyed to West Cork on Boxing Day in 1996, just days following the discovery of du Plantier’s violently gruesome death at her vacation home. Speaking at the unveiling of Sophie: The Final Verdict at Hodges Figgis on a Thursday evening, Martin described du Plantier’s murder as deeply disturbing and carved into the nation’s memory.
According to Martin, the failure to ensure justice for her and to indict her killer should be a permanent source of humiliation. He cited the family’s extreme anguish worsened by the system’s proclaimed inability to fulfil its duties towards Sophie.
The book unravels the many complexities of the case, however, he chose not to echo these. He, however, confessed that the case indeed provides serious reasons for reflection. Martin also stated that while it is understood that a judicial system cannot function flawlessly, given the magnitude of evidence coupled with the details of this case, it is puzzling why the evidence wasn’t presented to a jury.
Martin called for a truthful dialogue about why certain offences, that are dealt with quicker in other democracies, seem to be continually postponed in Ireland. Furthermore, he urged for a comparison between the swift convictions in other nations and the response to rioting in Ireland. He acknowledged resource constraints but pointed out these exist in other democracies too. He speculated that even if resources were significantly bumped up, the present protocol that leads to justice being unduly delayed could still be in practice.