A US judge has ruled that the teenager accused of the fatal shooting of Irish chef Shaun Brady in Kansas City, Missouri, will be tried as a juvenile—a decision that has sparked protests from the extensive Irish community in Missouri.
Shaun Brady, originally from Nenagh, Co. Tipperary, was shot and killed on August 28, 2024, while at his bar and restaurant in the city’s Brookside area, a district known for its nightlife and restaurants.
Jackson County CourthouseThe 44-year-old had emigrated to the United States a number of years ago and was well-regarded in the Kansas City hospitality scene. He was known as a friendly and caring host at Brady & Fox, the restaurant and bar he co-owned in the Brookside district of the city.
He is survived by his wife, Kate, and their two children, Seamus and Mary.
The suspect, identified as K.H. and can’t be named as he is a juvenile, was 15 at the time of the alleged offence.
Prosecutors had sought to have the teenager tried as an adult, citing the seriousness of the charges.
However, during a recent hearing in Jackson County, a judge determined that the case would remain in the juvenile court system.
The decision means the accused cannot face adult penalties, such as a life sentence without parole.
If convicted, the sentence is likely to focus more on rehabilitation than punishment, with the possibility of release by the age of 21.
Brady’s death sent shockwaves through both the Irish diaspora in the US and his home community in Ireland.
Tributes poured in at the time from friends, colleagues, and former classmates in Nenagh, where he had grown up. His funeral, held in Kansas City, was attended by hundreds, including Irish nationals living in the Midwest.
The Brady family has not made a public statement in response to the judge’s ruling. However, friends of the family have expressed disappointment, saying they believe justice is best served through an adult trial.
The legal proceedings are expected to continue in the juvenile court over the coming months. Because of the accused’s status as a minor, many aspects of the case will now be handled behind closed doors.
The Irish Department of Foreign Affairs has previously confirmed it is providing consular assistance to Mr. Brady’s family.
Brady had worked in a number of restaurants across the US since moving to the US and was remembered by friends as a “gentleman, a brilliant chef, and a devoted father.”
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