AR219

An Assembly Resolution urging the United Kingdom to conduct a full public inquiry into the 1989 murder of Pat Finucane.

Whereas, For centuries, the issue of who should govern Ireland has generated conflict for the people of that region, and although the British government attempted to settle this conflict in 1920 by dividing Ireland, and granting independence to the southern 26 counties of Ireland, while keeping the northern six counties within the purview of Great Britain, the conflict remained and worsened through the years; and

Whereas, The conflict between the nationalists who supported full independence from the United Kingdom and the loyalists who wished to remain a part of the United Kingdom resulted in years of sustained violence in Northern Ireland; and

Whereas, On February 12, 1989, Pat Finucane, a well-known defense attorney who represented both loyalists and nationalist clients, including prominent members of the Irish Republican Army, was shot 14 times in his Belfast home in front of his wife, who was also injured, and three children; and

Whereas, Although arrests did follow Mr. Finucane’s murder the police investigation was later found to be ineffective and incomplete; and

Whereas, For more than 30 years, the Finucane family has sought to uncover the truth surrounding the circumstances of the brutal death of their beloved father and husband; and

Whereas, In 1989, a metropolitan police commissioner was appointed to investigate numerous killings and claims of collusion between British security forces and loyalist paramilitaries related to those deaths, that investigation lasted 14 years, and ultimately found evidence of collusion related to the murder of Mr. Finucane, and

Whereas, In 2001, the British government agreed to hold a public inquiry of the case if a review by an independent Canadian Judge determined that a public inquiry was necessary, but despite the judge finding that a public inquiry was warranted, the British government reneged on the promise; and

Whereas, Following years of delay, a second independent review was conducted by a former United Nations war crimes prosecutor which prompted then Prime Minister David Cameron to apologize to the Finucane family for “shocking levels of collusion,” but still did not lead to the public inquiry sought by the Finucane family; and

Whereas, The Finucance family has sought redress from the British courts and asserts that a public inquiry is the only way to uncover the truth regarding the circumstances surrounding Pat Finucane’s death; and

Whereas, In 2019, the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom found that there had never been an adequate investigation of the Finucane case, but fell short of ordering a public inquiry, instead ordering that the British government should decide what kind of inquiry was required; and

Whereas, In response to the Supreme Court’s order, the Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Brandon Lewis, ultimately announced that no public inquiry would be held in the Finucane case; and

Whereas, The public interest in ascertaining the truth of the circumstances surrounding the heinous murder of Pat Finucane is of great importance and public concern; now, therefore,

Be It Resolved by the General Assembly of the State of New Jersey:

1. The General Assembly of the State of New Jersey urges the United Kingdom to conduct a full public inquiry into the 1989 murder of Pat Finucane.

2. Copies of this resolution, as filed with the Secretary of State, shall be transmitted by the Clerk of the General Assembly to the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom, the United Kingdom’s Ambassador to the United States and every member of the United States Congress from the State of New Jersey.

STATEMENT

This resolution urges the United Kingdom to conduct a full public inquiry into the brutal killing of Pat Finucane in order to adequately and appropriately investigate claims of collusion regarding his murder. Over 30 years ago, Mr. Finucane, a well-known defense lawyer, was shot to death in his home in front of his wife and three children. Despite multiple, independent findings that there existed sufficient evidence of state collusion, as well as a finding by the United Kingdom’s highest court that there was never an adequate investigation into the circumstances surrounding Mr. Finuncane’s murder, the United Kingdom has failed to conduct a public inquiry into this case.

This heinous crime prompted former Prime Minister David Cameron to apologize to the Finucane family for shocking levels of collusion. It is of the utmost importance, not only to the Finucane family, but to the international community as well, that the truth surrounding the circumstances of Mr. Finucane’s murder be known.