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Marian Price to sue Disney over Say Nothing murder scene

PA Marian Price holding a microphone, and wearing a white scarf. Her coat is brown and she is also wearing pearl earringsPA
Marian Price's solicitor says the scene was created for 'the purposes of theatrical elaboration'

Veteran Republican Marian Price intends to sue Disney+ after she was depicted shooting Jean McConville in one of the most notorious murders of the Troubles, a law firm has said.

Mrs McConville was abducted, murdered and secretly buried by the IRA in 1972, becoming one of the disappeared.

Her body was eventually found more than 30 years later at a beach in County Louth in the Republic of Ireland.

Ms Price, 70, also known by her married name Marian McGlinchey, has denied any involvement.

The nine-part TV drama Say Nothing, based on the book of the same name by Patrick Radden Keefe, features Mrs McConville’s murder.

Produced by FX and showing in the UK on Disney+, it partly draws on interviews for an oral history project for Boston College.

Ms Price’s decision to serve notice of defamation proceedings was first reported by The Irish News on Wednesday.

Rob Youngson/FX Hazel Doupe and Lola Petticrew in character, they are both leaning against an old green car, there is a mountain in the background. Hazel Doupe is wearing a cream jumper with a yellow and blue skirt. Lola Petticrew is wearing a light cream jumper with a red, yellow and blue skirt Rob Youngson/FX
Hazel Doupe as Marian Price in Disney's Say Nothing, and Lola Petticrew as Dolours Price

Peter Corrigan, a solicitor at Phoenix Law, said: “Our client has been publicly connected with the murder of the innocent mother Jean McConville.

“This allegation is unfounded in all respects.”

Mr Corrigan claimed the scene showing Mrs McConville’s murder was created for “the purposes of theatrical elaboration”.

He said Ms Price was not involved.

“It is illustrated by the fact the police didn’t even arrest her for this offence because there was not reasonable suspicion of her involvement.”

Mr Corrigan added: “Given the context, it is difficult to envisage a more egregious allegation than the one to which has been levelled against our client.

“As someone who has been involved at every level of the related Boston College criminal proceedings, it is clear that the instant allegation is not based on a single iota of evidence.”

The allegations, he said, are not only “unjustified they are odious insofar as they seek to cause our client immeasurable harm in exchange for greater streaming success”.

“Our client has now been forced to initiate legal proceedings to hold Disney to account for their actions,” he said.

BBC News NI has approached Disney+ for comment.

Michael McConville is standing looking slightly off camera with his lips pursed. He is wearing a black coat and black shirt. To his left a woman stands looking on. Behind them are black railings.
Michael McConville said that his mother's death is "not entertainment"

Along with her sister Dolours and others, Ms Price was convicted of the IRA car bomb attack on the Old Bailey in London in 1973.

In 2014, she was given a suspended jail sentence for assisting the dissident republican group the Real IRA.

Recently, one of Mrs McConville’s children criticised the drama’s portrayal of her murder as “cruel” and “horrendous”.