Plastic Bullets Claim Another Life

Press Release  – Plastic Bullets Claim Another
Life

Today with great sadness Clara Reilly, Chairperson of Relatives for
Justice released the following statement in relation to the sudden death
of Dominic Marron.

"I first met Dominic in 1981. He was 14 years old and had been struck in
the head with a plastic bullet by an RUC member. He was shot outside
Dunville Park, just across the road from the spot on which Nora McCabe
was to be
killed two months later. He suffered horrific head injuries which left
him with devastating paralysis and brain damage. As we highlighted his
case across the world Dominic with his family tried to rebuild his life.
He had to learn to walk and talk again and would never regain full
capacity and suffered serious ill health for the rest of his too short
life.

"In recent years he continued to refuse to let the actions of the RUC
win. He married and had two beautiful sons. He was eager to participate
in activities that could help him overcome the effects of brain damage
and help him with supporting his sons' education.

"He was also a fervent campaigner against plastic bullets. When the new
bullet was introduced, despite his terrible ill health Dominic went to
Stormont to lobby politicians, he gave press interviews and stood in
protests and picket lines. He was an inspiration to us all as he fought
to tell the world of the real horror of plastic bullets.

"Dominic's death is an awful blow to his community. More, it is a heart
rending loss for his wife Jackie and two young sons. There is no doubt
whatsoever in any of our minds or his family's minds that he died as a
result of the injury that was inflicted on him in 1981. I want to
personally send a message to the RUC member that fired a plastic bullet
at 14 year old
Dominic Marron's head. Your actions are not forgotten and a family is
left bereft. Your actions went without criminal charges, but they were a
heinous crime, which have now left two boys without their father and a
wife without her husband.

"Dominic is the latest victim of plastic bullets. In these cynical times
let us pause and reflect and all of us dedicate ourselves to ensuring
that no family or child or community ever, ever, faces the outrage of
plastic bullets nor the impunity of state forces which has left such
devastation."

ENDS