Irish carriage driver (57) sobs as he is acquitted of horse's death in New York
Ian McKeever had pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor char
Ian McKeever on CBS News
A six-person jury found Ian McKeever (57)not guilty of overworking a horse called Ryder, who collapsed en route back to his stable on an 84-degree Fahrenheit (29-degree Celsius) day in August 2022.
The horse lay on an avenue near Times Square for nearly an hour as concerned bystanders gathered around and police cooled him with a hose and ice. The animal ultimately got up, to cheers.
Ian McKeever on CBS News
News in 90 Seconds - July 22nd
McKeever, who was born and raised in Ireland but has lived in New York for decades, had pleaded not guilty to the misdemeanor charge. His attorney, Raymond Loving, said the horse wasn't overtaxed and simply tripped while changing lanes on a Manhattan street.
'The verdict was very gratifying. This has been an ordeal for him,' Loving said by phone, adding that 'the evidence just didn't support the charge.'
Speaking after the verdict, Mr McKeever told CBS News the allegations had had a terrible impact on his life.
"I'm in this business 40 years, and I've never, ever abused a horse in my life," McKeever said. "This has been a terrible three years for me. Everybody was looking at me like I was an abuser of a horse, and it just killed me."
He added: "You know, anytime a horse is on the ground, like, lying down, it looks bad. But if people understand horses, this happens, and our priority is to get the horse up," McKeever said. "I didn't know he had cancer. I didn't know he was sick."
Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg said in a statement that prosecutors presented 'a thorough case based on the facts and evidence.'
Featured in countless movies and TV shows, New York's horse carriages are popular with visitors and people celebrating special occasions. But animal rights advocates have long tried to get the coaches banned, and the issue became a prominent, celebrity-studded local political debate for a time about a decade ago. Read more
Anti-coach activists question the horses' treatment and contend that Manhattan streets are no place for equines, pointing to some collisions and collapses over the years. Enthusiasts say the carriages are a time-honored tourist draw that employs several hundred drivers and creates a role for surplus farm and race horses that might otherwise be slaughtered.
McKeever, an Irish immigrant, has been a carriage driver for decades. His brother owned Ryder.
A horse-carriage-industry veterinarian, Dr. Camilo Sierra, told jurors he estimated Ryder's age at 28 to 30, eventually settling on 26 — the maximum age at which carriage-pullers can legally work. Police Sgt. Vincent Fontana testified that McKeever told him the horse was 13.
Ryder was outside for over seven hours on Aug. 10, 2022, mostly in Central Park, taking passengers on two trips over the course of the day.
Passerby Caroline Londahl-Smidt testified that she worried after noticing his prominent ribs and seeing him seem to struggle up a hill, with McKeever shaking the reins in an apparent effort to hurry the horse along.
Prosecutor Sophie Robart argued that McKeever 'pushed Ryder beyond his limits' until the horse's body gave out.
After Ryder left the park and collapsed, bystander video published by the New York Post showed McKeever snapping the reins at him and telling him to get up.
McKeever's lawyer maintained that Ryder wasn't overheated or mistreated, and that the driver acted responsibly. McKeever, 56, testified that he strove to get the animal to stand because prolonged reclining can cause health problems for equines.
Ryder's temperature was normal and his breathing rate was slightly elevated when Fontana measured it, after the horse had been hosed down for some time. Later that evening at the stable, Sierra found Ryder alert, with normal vital signs, but he noted the underweight horse walked weakly. The veterinarian said he believed the animal had a neurological problem.
Two months after the collapse, an ailing Ryder was euthanized. A necropsy showed he had bone cancer.
Carriage drivers' union shop steward Christina Hansen said Monday that the union has since taken steps, including improving access to a horse hospital. Drivers "enter this line of work because we love animals,' she said.
Animal rights activists, meanwhile, continued to inveigh against the industry. Edita Birnkrant, who runs an anti-horse-carriage group called NYCLASS, called the verdict 'heartbreaking" and renewed a call for the city to stop issuing new carriage driver licenses.
Another Manhattan carriage driver was charged with animal cruelty in 2013 after authorities said he kept a horse working for days with an injured hoof. That driver pleaded guilty to disorderly conduct, a noncriminal violation, and was sentenced to community service, according to news reports. Court records of his case are sealed.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Sunday World
17 minutes ago
- Sunday World
Tragic Irish fashion designer opened business in the Hamptons just weeks before death
The late Martha Nolan O'Slatarra (33) moved to the US in 2015 but had built her own fashion brand. US police are investigating the death of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra (33) US police are investigating the death of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra (33) The Irish woman who was found dead on a yacht in New York had reached a major milestone with her business just weeks before her tragic death. US police are investigating after Martha Nolan O'Slatarra (33) was found dead on a yacht at the Montauk Yacht Club, East Hampton. According to the New York Post, the Manhattan resident was 'well known' in the community and described as 'very friendly' and 'always smiling'. The fast-rising fashion designer had originally moved across the Atlantic in 2015 to find success stateside. Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra, who died in the Hamptons News in 90 Seconds - August 6th In 2021, she launched her resortwear line East x East. Ms Nolan O'Slatarra was a marketing consultant, entrepreneur, and founder of the fashion brand, which has nearly 58,000 followers on Instagram. East x East went on to host a brand shoot in 2023, which she described on TikTok as the 'oh so chic campaign shoot in Mallorca'. She added: 'I am still overwhelmed by the incredible outcome and amazing team! As the creative director, witnessing my visions come to life fills me with so much happiness. So proud of East x East.' At the start of July, and just weeks before her death, the brand celebrated the opening of a new pop-up shop at Gurney's Montauk Resort and Seawater Spa. The resort wear line had launched pop-ups before, having previously been seen at the Montauk Beach House luxury resort. Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra on TikTok. The latest pop-up was hailed by Ms Nolan O'Slatarra just weeks ago, posting on her TikTok that it was 'goals achieved'. Speaking in a TikTok video in February 2024, the Carlow native said East x East stands for 'New York, by the Hamptons'. She continued: 'Our tagline is built in the city, made for the sun. I absolutely adore it. "I think it resonates with so many people on so many levels because I feel at some point everyone in their lives are grinding city life, but everyone's just destined for the sun. The brand specialises in men's swimwear as well as women's bikinis, swimwear, and sunglasses before branching out in wider resort wear. Ms Nolan O'Slatarra's social media also gives a snapshot into her jet-set life in New York. The 33-year-old took a plane to Nashville for a concert in 2021. Last October, she enjoyed a helicopter trip with a male companion with the caption: 'Heli on up'. US police are investigating the death of Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra (33) The businesswoman shared a clip of herself sitting in a convertible sports car with the same man as the two drove around sunny countryside. Her body was discovered at the Montauk Yacht Club luxury resort and hotel, where rooms are available for around $1,500 in the peak summer months. A regular at the hotel told the New York Post that a tragic event like this is out of the normal for the expensive area of eastern New York. 'We come here [to Montauk] every summer and nothing like this ever happens,' the boater said. 'The police have been here all day since four in the morning.' The four-star destination offers beach-goers luxurious accommodations, including spa services, a pool, beach, harbour cruises, biking and yoga. Summer season usually sees influencers and celebrities flock to the luxury destination. Speaking to the Irish Independent last year, she revealed that she had attended the Institute of Education private secondary school in Dublin. She then went on to study commerce in UCD before earning a master's in digital marketing at Smurfit Business School. 'I always knew I wanted to be successful, that I was money driven, business driven and that fashion is a tough industry and it would be a slow road,' Ms Nolan O'Slatarra said at the time. 'I made friends in the institute and at college and a new group in New York, but I still have all my Carlow friends. They are still my crew.' After finishing up her academic studies, the new graduate was looking for a 'change' and ended up in New York after her dad bought her a one-way ticket to the US. While she initially planned to stay in the city for just nine months, she went on to land a job with fintech start-up Street Diligence. After spending two years there, the Irishwoman held a number of other roles before launching East x East in 2021 alongside her Amazon brand Duper. She also described herself as having a 'hard-work mindset' and a determination to succeed. 'Carlow is a small town, I was the small town girl who needed to get out to achieve her big dreams,' she added. 'I always knew I wanted to be successful, that I was money-driven, business-driven – and that fashion is a tough industry and it would be a slow road.' According to her LinkedIn, Ms Nolan O'Slatarra was appointed as director of operations with K4 Capital Management in 2024. East Hampton Town Police confirmed in a statement that preliminary investigation and exam of the deceased Irishwoman were inconclusive regarding the cause of her death. A post-mortem examination is set to be conducted by the Suffolk County Medical Examiner's Office.
Irish Daily Mirror
42 minutes ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
'Conor McGregor posted a rant about us - It's time to debunk him... again'
Disgraced fighter Conor McGregor has once again posted misinformation - this time targeting our publication. Sadly, in this era of social media, where a person has 10.6m followers and an army of fans and bots alike, it has become necessary to further rebut misleading posts that he freely and without question uploads to social media. McGregor, who was found liable by a civil jury for rape and recently lost his appeal of that decision, has taken to targeting this journalist and now our publication for reporting nothing but factual information - albeit information he does seem to like. READ MORE: Conor McGregor wants to become the next President of Ireland - could it really happen? READ MORE: Conor McGregor makes series of misleading claims in rant about failed Nikita Hand case appeal On Tuesday he posted a long rant naming me, the Irish Daily Star, and levelled a series of unfounded accusations that he has now since deleted - as he has every other post directed at us. But not before they were read by his millions of followers. On Tuesday we factually and accurately reported about a rape investigation which is now before the courts. It is the case that gardai believe the attack was random in nature - meaning the alleged injured party was not known to the alleged attacker beforehand. This was stated as fact and was not in any way intended to minimise the alleged incident - if anything it was to properly reflect the grim reality of it. As is the law of the land - we cannot identify the alleged attacker - nor information that has not been heard in court. In general when a person is ultimately convicted of a rape offence - it may be the case then that they can then be identified - so long as a victim is not identified, or if a victim decides to waive their anonymity. McGregor, who has blocked me on social media platform 'X', nonetheless took it upon himself to repost screenshots of our story on this issue, in order to attack our reporting. The Irish Mirror's Crime Writers Michael O'Toole and Paul Healy are writing a new weekly newsletter called Crime Ireland. Click here to sign up and get it delivered to your inbox every week Calling me 'an absolute disgrace' for merely informing the public about the incident in the first place, McGregor then went on to falsely state that I 'first ignored and then mocked the stabbing of a Garda on active duty in broad daylight.' He further falsely claimed that I was 'acting' like I 'didn't know the details,' and that I was 'here again playing to the agenda of government elite in deceiving the public despite the dangers now faced by the people of Ireland.' Normally these kinds of allegations are best left ignored. But McGregor, who claims he's running for the Irish presidency, enjoys a large platform that I believe should not go unchallenged. I resent and totally reject his allegation that I ignored or mocked a garda. I would never do so, nor would I mock or make light of any victim. The UFC fighter is referring to a now deleted post by me on 'X' in which I reposted a statement he made about an incident that is now before the District Court. My intention behind this post was to state that at that point he had been 'radio silent' about the Court of Appeal decision upholding a High Court civil jury finding that he raped Nikita Hand - and that instead he was posting about this. Noting in hindsight that his post was about an incident now before the courts, I decided it best to delete it. Sadly however, that was not the end of it, and a pile of accounts leapt on the opportunity to allude to some sort of conspiracy as to why the post was deleted. My post at no stage mocked or ignored what was a widely covered major news event - that was not only extensively reported by this publication - but virtually every other outlet in the land. Conor McGregor invites Donald Trump to Ireland and drops wild AI image Once again, this is a matter now before the courts - which severely limits how publications such as ourselves can comment on such matters for the moment. We the media have to follow the law. But that is clearly something McGregor doesn't seem to understand. Or perhaps, he doesn't care. Finally, he made further misleading claims that our publication, the Irish Daily Star, is a 'sponsored rag of government,' alluding to a €100,000 payment by the government which he claims was to aid us in propagating 'the public full of misdirection and diversion.'He also called this 'criminal behaviour.' Once again, there is no conspiracy here. I certainly haven't seen a cent of government money personally, and no one controls our editorial direction or that of any of the free press here in Ireland. McGregor is referring to a €100,000 payment given to our company 'Reach PLC' as part of the 'Global Ireland Media Challenge Fund.' The Department of Foreign Affairs backed fund is awarded to media outlets in order to help fund international coverage that would otherwise be impossible in this challenging time for all media. The funding is not, and never has been used to control our editorial direction - which has often challenged and been critical of the government of the day. The fund has only ever been used to enhance our international reporting - for example allowing our reporters to cover our brave Irish soldiers helping keep the peace between Syria and Israel in the Golan Heights. It was further utilised to send us to Lebanon to cover the important work being done by Irish peacekeepers there and the demand for justice for the murdered soldier - Private Sean Rooney. It is also utilised and open to any media outlet to avail of - and does not in any way impact or get used for our domestic coverage. We would absolutely abhor and never sign up to being used by the government to spread any agenda. These are words that normally should go without saying. But sadly, this is no longer the case in a world of unchecked social media - where any thick with a blue tick can have such a large platform. Subscribe to our newsletter for the latest news from the Irish Mirror direct to your inbox: Sign up here.
Irish Daily Mirror
an hour ago
- Irish Daily Mirror
Martha Nolan live updates as Irish fashion designer found dead on Hamptons yacht
Tributes are pouring in from far and wide for an Irish fashion designer who was found dead on a boat in New York on Tuesday. Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra was discovered unconscious at midnight onboard a boat that was docked at the Montauk Yacht Club in East Hampton on Long Island in the early hours of Tuesday morning. Good Samaritans rushed out and made attempts to save her life, but East Hampton Town Police later pronounced her dead at the scene. The 33-year-old, who is originally from Co Carlow but was living in Manhattan, graduated from University College Dublin (UCD) and later completed a masters degree in digital marketing in Smurfit Business School. According to police, the initial investigation and postmortem exam did not conclusively determine the cause of death. The final determination will now be made by an autopsy conducted by the Suffolk County Medical Examiner's Office. Follow our live blog below as tributes pour in for Martha following her tragic passing. 18:59 Cathal Ryan 33-year-old Co Carlow-native Martha Nolan O'Slatarra had recently celebrated the launch of her very own lifestyle brand in a glamorous Hamptons resort. In a TikTok post on July 1, she shared a video of her bikinis and beach wear captioned 'goals achieved', encouraging her followers to attend the store. 18:41 KEY EVENT Homicide detectives in the United States are continuing to investigate the mysterious death of a young Irish fashion designer who was found dead on a yacht in New York earlier this week. The founder of fashion label East x East, Martha Nolan-O'Slatarra, was discovered unconscious at midnight onboard a boat that was docked at the Montauk Yacht Club. The 33-year-old, who is originally from Co Carlow but was living in Manhattan, moved to New York at the age of 26, where she began working as a sales rep for a fintech start-up working with top-tier hedge funds before launching her East x East brand, a clothing and apparel line that specialises in eyewear, swimwear and resortwear.
