Irish Court Rejects Treaty With U.S.; 2 Suspects Freed

The Supreme Court has declared invalid a 1 1/2-year-old extradition treaty between Ireland and the United States and ordered the release of two Americans held under the pact.

The court ruled Thursday that the December, 1984, treaty was invalid because it had not been properly approved by the Irish Parliament.

The two men released were James H. Gilliland, 55, and Joseph Michael Maloney, 50, also known as Michael O’Shea.

U.S. authorities accuse Gilliland of conspiracy, racketeering, fraud and obstruction of proceedings in an alleged multimillion-dollar kickback scheme in New York between 1975 and 1979.

The court’s ruling came during Gilliland’s appeal against his extradition order. He had been free on $90,000 bail, which the court returned.

Maloney, who maintains his real name is Michael O’Shea, is accused of murdering his wife, June Fisk Maloney, by serving her a cocktail poisoned with wood alcohol 19 years ago at their son’s 5th birthday party in Rochester, N.Y. He had been held without bail since his arrest in January, 1985.

A spokeswoman for the Irish government, speaking on condition of anonymity, said, “In the light of the Supreme Court decision, a new extradition arrangement with the U.S. will be made as soon as possible.”