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BreakingNews.ie
5 hours ago
- BreakingNews.ie
Trial of Dublin firefighter accused of raping woman while in Boston for St Patrick's Day begins
The trial of a Dublin firefighter charged with raping an American woman in the US during St Patrick's Day celebrations has gotten underway. Terence Crosbie, 38, from Dublin, was in the Suffolk County Courthouse in Boston, Massachusetts, on Monday for the start of his criminal trial. Advertisement A panel of 15 jurors was sworn in, and the trial began before presiding judge Sarah Weyland Ellis. Crosbie has pleaded not guilty after being charged in March last with raping a woman at the Omni Parker House, a hotel in downtown Boston. He was visiting the city with Dublin Fire Brigade members for St Patrick's Day celebrations. Prosecution counsel assistant district attorney Erin Murphy said that on Friday morning, March 15th, Boston police interviewed a 28-year-old woman at Massachusetts General Hospital who informed them she had been sexually assaulted at the Omni Parker House earlier that morning. Advertisement Detectives secured video surveillance from the hotel and from The Black Rose, a bar and restaurant in Boston, where both Crosbie and the victim were on Thursday evening. Police learned that Crosbie had flown to Boston from Ireland earlier on March 14th with colleagues, and that he was scheduled to leave the following Tuesday, March 18th. Crosbie was sharing a hotel room with a fellow firefighter, whom the victim said she had consensual sex with before they fell asleep in separate beds. The victim alleged that she woke the following day to another man sexually assaulting her, later identifying that man as Crosbie. Advertisement The woman quoted Crosbie as saying, "I know you want this, he (the other man) fell asleep". After being interviewed by police on the Saturday, Crosbie booked a flight for 10.10pm that night, days before his scheduled departure date. At the airport, Crosbie boarded an even earlier flight, departing at around 7pm. However, State police stopped the plane on the Logan Airport tarmac and removed Crosbie. When the charges were announced, District Attorney Kevin Hayden commended the victim for coming forward. His office also noted at the time: "All charged individuals are presumed innocent until and unless proven guilty beyond a reasonable doubt.' Advertisement Crosbie entered his not guilty plea on June 5th last year and a cash bail was initially set at $100,000, but that was reduced last August to $10,000 following a request from Crosbie's lawyer. The Dublin man has remained in prison since. Last year in a statement Dublin Fire Brigade said: "Dublin Fire Brigade Chief Fire Officer has been made aware that the Boston Police Department have begun a criminal investigation into an alleged serious case involving a member of Dublin Fire Brigade. "The firefighter has immediately been placed on leave. Advertisement "We cannot comment on the specific circumstances, but we would reiterate the high standards that we expect from all who represent our organisation at any event. "As a result, we are conducting an internal investigation and establishing the facts in collaboration with the appropriate authorities and the organisers of the delegation. "As this is a criminal investigation, we will not be making any further comment at this time.' Court records show that in July 2024, prosecutors filed a motion requesting a DNA sample from Crosbie. The Boston Globe reported that, according to court documents filed by the Suffolk District Attorney's office, a genital swab from the victim revealed male DNA. Crosbie initially objected to giving a sample, though the judge approved the prosecutor's request, and Crosbie gave an oral sample in August. As the trial began on Monday, the Boston Globe noted that the status of the DNA testing "wasn't immediately clear". The trial is set to continue this week in Boston. If you have been affected by any of the issues raised in this article, you can call the national 24-hour Rape Crisis Helpline at 1800-77 8888, access text service and webchat options at or visit Rape Crisis Help .
Boston Globe
a day ago
- Boston Globe
Opening statements expected in trial of Irish firefighter charged with raping woman at Boston hotel
Superior Court Judge Sarah W. Ellis is presiding. Advertisement C rosbie is Crosbie was originally scheduled to leave the United States on March 19, after the parade, officials have said. However, after Crosbie spoke with police on March 15, he went to Logan International Airport for a 10:10 p.m. flight bound for Ireland, official said. He boarded an earlier flight at 7 p.m., but was pulled off of the airplane by State Police and arrested, officials said. Prosecutors allege Crosbie raped a 'female stranger' at the Omni Parker House hotel in downtown Boston on March 14, 2024. The then 28-year-old woman had gone to dinner with coworkers at The Black Rose, a pub near Faneuil Hall, and met a man, Liam O'Brien, along with his fellow Irish firefighters, according to court records and Suffolk District Attorney Kevin R. Hayden's office. Advertisement The woman told police on March 15 that she had agreed to return to O'Brien's room, which he was sharing with Crosbie, at the Omni Parker House. Video shows that around 11:30 p.m., the woman left a restaurant with O'Brien and returned to the room at the Omni Parker House, Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Erin Murphy said. The pair had a consensual encounter in the hotel room, according to prosecutors. O'Brien then fell asleep on one of two beds in the hotel room, and the woman went to sleep on the other bed, prosecutors said. Crosbie left the hotel at 11:55 p.m., according to hotel security video, and swiped his key card back into the room at 1:55 a.m., prosecutors said. At some point in the night, the woman woke up as Crosbie was allegedly raping her, according to a police report. The woman 'tried to push the male off' and she said 'what are you doing? Stop!' the report said. Crosbie said 'this guy is sleeping, I know you want this. He fell asleep,' the woman told police. The woman left at 2:15 a.m., 20 minutes after Crosbie entered the room, prosecutors said. She messaged a friend to say she had been assaulted and then went to a hospital where she spoke with police. Prosecutors requested a DNA swab from Crosbie for 'comparative testing' during an August 2024 hearing. A genital swab from the woman revealed male DNA, according to court documents filed by prosecutors, Advertisement 'In this case, a known DNA sample from the defendant will produce evidence relevant to the question of his guilt,' Assistant District Attorney Erin Murphy, chief of the domestic violence and sexual assault unit, wrote in court papers. Crosbie objected to providing a sample on grounds of unreasonable searches and seizures, court filings show. 'My client is not concerned about what the DNA is going to return or say,' Crosbie's lawyer, Daniel C. Reilly, said at the time. 'He is adamant that he had no physical contact with her.' The status of the DNA testing wasn't immediately clear on Monday. Material from previous Globe articles was used in this report. Ava Berger can be reached at
Boston Globe
5 days ago
- Boston Globe
Jury selection underway in trial of Irish firefighter charged with raping woman in Boston hotel
Prosecutors allege that Crosbie raped a 'female stranger' at the Omni Parker House hotel in downtown Boston on March 14, 2024. The 28-year-old woman went to dinner with co-workers and met a man, Liam O'Brien, along with his fellow Irish firefighters, officials said. Advertisement Video shows that around 11:30 p.m., the woman left a restaurant with O'Brien and returned to the room he was sharing with Crosbie at the Omni Parker House. Crosbie left the room for about two hours. O'Brien and the woman had a consensual encounter and then fell asleep in separate beds, according to authorities. The woman said she later awoke to Crosbie on top of her, raping her, prosecutors said. The woman demanded that Crosbie stop, according to court filings. Crosbie allegedly remarked that he knew that she wanted this and his friend was pathetic for falling asleep, prosecutors said. The woman left and messaged a friend to say she had been assaulted. She then went to a hospital, where she spoke with police and underwent a sexual assault examination. Advertisement Crosbie was scheduled to leave the United States on March 19, after the parade. But after he spoke with police on March 15, Crosbie went to Logan International Airport for a 10:10 p.m. flight. He wound up boarding a 7 p.m. flight but was removed from the plane and arrested, officials said. During an August hearing, prosecutors requested a DNA swab from Crosbie for 'comparative testing.' According to court documents filed by prosecutors, a genital swab from the woman revealed male DNA. 'A known DNA sample from the defendant will produce evidence relevant to the question of his guilt,' wrote Assistant District Attorney Erin Murphy, chief of the domestic violence and sexual assault unit, in court papers. Crosbie objected to giving a sample on grounds of unreasonable searches and seizures, court filings show. 'My client is not concerned about what the DNA is going to return or say,' said Crosbie's lawyer, Daniel C. Reilly, at the time. 'He is adamant that he had no physical contact with her.' The status of the DNA testing wasn't immediately clear on Thursday. In court Thursday, Crosbie wore an off-white suit and had a neat crew cut. He sat alert between his attorneys as the presiding judge questioned potential jurors, and he also appeared to take notes. Material from prior Globe stories was used in this report. Travis Andersen can be reached at
