Andrew Hanlon Inquest Verdict
Mar 19th, 2009 | By Bock | Category: Crime, PolicingAndrew Hanlon, a young Dubliner, was murdered in June last year in 
Silverton, Oregon, by policeman Tony Gonzalez. The cop, acting together with one or more civilians, hunted the terrified, unarmed boy through the streets before shooting him dead.
Andrew was shot four times, and each shot was capable of killing him.
Gonzalez did not commit this murder on his own. He was assisted by one or more fine upstanding Silverton citizens.
We know what happened. We know how it happened. We know the times and the places. We know who was involved in the killing. We know where they live. We know where they work.
The only thing we don’t know is how they live with themselves.
The Oregon authorities also know what happened and who was behind the killing, but to reveal the full truth would tear the small community of Silverton apart. That was why the Oregon authorities worked with the police and the district attorney’s office to make sure the truth behind this murder never emerged.
Facts were covered up and the Grand Jury was rigged. The police lied and invented evidence. Other vital evidence was ignored, and a hate campaign was launched to blacken the dead boy’s name.
All this was done to protect the citizens who murdered Andrew Hanlon.
Today, a Dublin inquest into the killing returned an open verdict, which was the only option available to it, but it wasn’t enough to ease the pain of Andrew’s grieving family.
The Oregon authorities blanked off every possible avenue of inquiry and shut the Hanlon family out. They closed ranks to hide a blatant murder.
This is a sickening case of a gung-ho piece of filth getting away with murder. There are no loose ends, there are no confusing details. It’s open and shut. Open the Jail door, Shut Gonzales in.
There are a number of loose ends, including the need to identify the other people involved in Andrew’s murder.
o·pen ver·dict (plural o·pen ver·dicts)
noun
Definition:
U.K. decision of coroner’s court: in a coroner’s court, the verdict given when the cause of death is not clear and no charge of murder or manslaughter can therefore be brought
Murder by “police†not on the agenda. Is not the Law wonderful? Andrews poor Mother only wanted to hear that her Son was Murdered by a convicted child abuser and a “Grand Jury†found the filth innocent of all charges? The Law is Great.
The only consolation? Gonzales is now in Jail . As to the good people of Silverton? Perhaps being referred to as “the town that killed the Irish guy†may be a little rough . There again perhaps not. Who has replaced Gonzales? Police commander? Mayor? questions for the Good people of Silverton.
It’s really the only verdict an Irish coroner’s court has available to it in the circumstances. It isn’t the function of a coroner’s inquest to identify the killer and it would be a pity if anyone was given a different impression.
Bock
I did not mean to give an impression. Is not the Law wonderful?
America; home of the free.
Free to shoot and kill on a whim. People that is.
Gary — I don’t mean you.
I heard Andrew’s mother on the radio, and the family seemed to have the impression that the coroner’s court would be able to make a finding regarding the identity of Andrew’s killer.
According to RTE news tonight, Gonzalez left
the police force soon after mudering this young man and is now serving a six year jail term for sexual assault.
Abdul — You haven’t been paying attention, have you?
Just heard it on RTE – their idea of a breaking news yarn ….. some geezer called Armstrong also landed on the moon apparently.
This young man’s killing was brutal and I have no doubts about that. From reading about the case, I also have no doubt but that he had serious mental health issues. Yesterday, his stepfather, in the company of his mother, upbraided the American and Irish press for reporting that Andrew had mental health issues. Why? His own sister and brother-in-law who had given him a home in the States until his illness made that no longer possible were clear about the extent of his illness. There seems to be huge denial among sections of his family about this. I have a loved one who suffers from a mental illness that leads to periods of paranoia and I know something of the struggles and tensions and how families can become divided between those who are ashamed, those who insist that noone knows when everybody knows and the few who can hang in there with the ever-changing needs and make the difficult moves when medication is being shelved instead of taken and they have to act for their own protection. I admire you Bock for your passionate posts on the completely over the top and medieval taking of Andrew’s young life but just wanted to say that the best, although very very difficult, first approach for real help for the mentally ill is to have loved ones who see the illness for what it is, an illness and not a stain on someones character or a reflection on the whole family that must be hidden or denied. My every sympathy to this family.
I dont see what part mental illness plays in any of this, bar as an aside to cast suspicion on Andrew and give the impression that there was a crazy person on the loose and something had to be done.
Roisin — You seem to have access to confidential psychiatric reports. I’m not aware that Andrew had serious mental health “issues”, whatever that means, and anyway the question is irrelevant.
Andrew was executed like a dog in the street.
Bock
Andrew was Murdered not executed by a piece of filth that got away with the crime. Due to the bent system.
I doubt Gonzales shall be welcome in Silverton ever again . There again what has replaced this piece of filth?
The use of the term ‘mental health issues’ would be a gentle one, Bock, and I used it because, in years gone by, we used very tough words with a lot of disdain in them to describe when our minds are not well.
No argument from me that the manner of Andrew’s death was terrible. I have read, and accept as true, the reports of his brother-in-law, on an earlier occasion, asking for police help as Andrew was out of control and paranoid and frightening both him and his wife, Andrew’s sister. They both seemed to be concerned and loving people who were close to Andrew when his life become so difficult. I don’t know if you are aware of that episode or if you know of it and don’t believe it or simply find it not relevant.
You wrote in your earlier posts about the fact that Andrew was slight in build etc., and questioned how he could have been a threatening presence. Perhaps you have never been in the presence of someone in full flight paranoia which his sister and brother-in- law reported Andrew as experiencing in their home. I have seen a ten year old child in the midst of an episode make two grown men run in shock and fear.
I believe that Andrew was mentally ill and that it was indeed relevant to this case and to how the police etc., must be fully trained to recognise it in every situation where it is present.
I understand that the term Paranoia was used in a colloquial sense by his brother-in-law who is not a qualified professional. I’m not aware of any psychiatric diagnosis of paranoia.
I would also point out that Tony Gonzales is a martial arts expert and a cage fighter, twice Andrew’s size.
In any case, there are other sinister aspects to his killing which indicate that the facts were covered up by the authorities, and I have already covered these disturbing aspects in considerable detail in previous posts.
As I said already, I don’t believe Andrew’s state of mind is relevant in this case. He was not only gunned down, but was shot as he fell or as he lay on the ground, and he was hunted to his death by more than one other person.
We live in an age of irresponsibility where someone else is always to blame
So convicted paedophile Gonzalez isn’t responsible then?
He isn’t to blame for shooting AJ 4 time instead of using mace, or his night stike or his martial arts skills?
the conspiracy theorists are still pushing their lunatic ideas after thorough investigations on two continents
The Silverton trials was a whitewash and the Irish one was conducted long after and the otherside of the world from the crime scene. Not exactly thorough.
I was not surprised to read that the Mother has started to criticize the press over their coverage of the mental health issues. It fits the pattern of denial of fact evident on the family side throughout this case
What a pompous, condescending and ignorant thing to say.
Hancock is now officially a spammer and banned from all further participation in this site.
Bit more opinionated than your average spammer. Seemed like just as much of a prick though…
John Hancock was originally banned for abusive behaviour. He continues to try to circumvent that ban by changing IP addresses. I continue to remove his comments and he continues to whinge about censorship.
Many other commenters have expressed views contrary to my own about the Hanlon murder, and they all remain here, open to view.
However, I will not tolerate anyone abusing other users of this site, and I will not tolerate anyone abusing the rules of this site.
Hancock stays banned.
Much has been written about the shooting of Andrew Hanlon.
I have no axe to grind with anybody who has posted on the blog regarding this tragedy
My knowledge of the matter inables me to form opinion(s).
My opinion(s) is
1. A young man lost his life in tragic circumstances.
2. Legitimate questions have arisen regarding the manner in which his life was taken.
3. The US authorites failed to examine the circumstances in a proper manner.
4. It was (and is) not in the interest of the authorities in Silverton to fully investigate the matter.
5. Legitimate questions regarding this matter remain unanswered.
6. In July 2008 Silverton Police Officer Gonzalez was indicted on multiple charges of sexual abuse.
7. In December 2008 Ex-Officer Gonzalez pleaded guilty to sexual abuse charges
8. The sexual abuse conviction(s) are a completely separate matter from the killing of Andrew Hanlon.
9. Although unrelated – The sexual abuse conviction(s) provide an insight in Gonzalez’s character.
10. The US justice system has let down Andrew Hanlon and his family.
11. The US justice system should come into question in relation to this matter. In particular – questions should be posed in relation to corruption within the Oregon Justice System.
12. Nothing can restore Andrew Hanlon’s life. Nothing can negate the grief felt by his family and friends.
For those who have posted negative comments directed at the supporters of Andrew and his family – just sit back and examine the matter and ask yourself – why would the authorites in Oregon fail to fully investigate a matter as serious as the shooting of an unarmed man. Then ask yourselves WHAT IF IT WAS YOU!
God Bless You Andrew – Rest In Peace