An Irish carpenter cleared of murder in San Francisco earlier this month suffered a setback yesterday when it was ruled he is now to go on trial for manslaughter after prosecution and defence lawyers failed to reach an agreement.
Mr William Monaghan's lawyer, Mr Kenneth Quigley, angrily denounced the prosecutor's office for continuing the case.
"This is an outrage. William has already been found not guilty of murder, only two of twelve jurors said he was guilty of manslaughter. This has to end," he said.
Mr Monaghan had hoped to walk free from jail yesterday after Judge Philip Moscone brought prosecution and defence lawyers into his chambers to discuss the future of the case.
Mr Monaghan (27), and originally from Meath, will remain in jail until his trial date on July 21st. A jury found Mr Monaghan not guilty early this month of murdering Swiss animator Mr Lionel Voillat by throwing him into San Francisco Bay during a Hallowe'en boat party.
The jury cleared Monaghan of first- and second-degree murder charges, but deadlocked on two lesser manslaughter charges. Judge Moscone declared a mistrial on those charges.
Mr Voillat's fiancée had expressed hope that the case will soon be over and Mr Monaghan will be set free.
Mr Monaghan's lawyers had met prosecution lawyers from the San Francisco District Attorney's office last week but had also failed to reach an agreement on that date.
Mr Quigley said yesterday that prosecutors still wanted Mr Monaghan to plead guilty on voluntary manslaughter charges.
"There is absolutely no way we will agree to that. This was an accident, William wished it had never happened, now he just wants to go back home to Ireland," he said.