The father and son operators of a Cape Cod charter boat have admitted to the manslaughter of an Irish student who fell through a broken railing on their craft and drowned.
Joseph Jay Shore (64), and his son, Cord Mitchell Shore (40), were charged with the death of Catherine Kinsella (20), of Dublin, in July 2001 when they appeared in a Boston court yesterday.
Both men may escape a prison term under a plea agreement with prosecutors.
Prosecutors said the Shores set sail on the Sea Genie IIthat day after buying alcohol for the passengers, many of whom were underage.
Cord Shore, the first mate, failed to adequately monitor the radar and the charter boat drifted into a sailboat moored inside the Hyannisport breakwater, causing the railing to break, prosecutors said. Ms Kinsella fell through shortly afterward.
Prosecutors said the Shores immediately began trying to find Ms Kinsella by following her cries for help, but that they did not notify the US Coast Guard for 50 minutes.
At the same time, Cord Shore told several passengers to collect beer cans on the boat, the US Attorney's office said.
The Coast Guard and Barnstable police found Ms Kinsella shortly after they arrived, but she had no pulse and could not be resuscitated.
Under the deal, prosecutors will recommend zero to six months in jail along with probation. If the deal is rejected by the judge, then men could face up to ten years in federal prison. Sentencing was set for September 9th.
AP