Charges against teen in Irish chef Shaun Brady's murder dropped

Prosecutors have dropped the charges against one of the two teens accused of the murder of Shaun Brady, in August, at the rear of his restaurant in Kansas City. 

A spokesperson for the Jackson County Circuit Court confirmed that charges against "L.M." were dropped and there are no pending hearings. The lawyer for "L.M." Matthew Merryman of The Bates & Merryman Law Firm said he was frustrated that the teen had been detained for over three months. 

Merryman told KCTV 5 “They got the wrong kid,” Merryman said.

“He was literally a heartbeat away from getting railroaded by this system and becoming just another statistic.”

The second teen, identified as "K.H." remains in custody and will hear later this month if he will be tried as an adult. 

Brady, a father of two, originally from Nenagh, Tipperary, was shot in the parking lot of his Brookside Brady’s KC restaurant, also referred to as Brady & Fox on August 28.  Police said Brady was taking out the trash when he saw multiple people by a vehicle. Shortly after he was shot.

The two teens were arrested less than an hour after the incident. 

Merryman said, "I think that there are lots of reports out there that say that there wasn’t a single individual."

He added,d “What I do know is that our client – he was not involved in this.”

The lawyer said "L.M." was grateful to be back home. 

“It’s an opportunity to reflect and try to hit a reset going into next year – my client has a lot of making up to do as it relates to his education. His parents have a lot of making up to do, as it has to do with home finances,” Merryman said.

"Everybody has lost a lot of work and a lot of schooling because of this, so it’s just one day at a time right now.”

"I would like everyone to imagine your own child, your teenager being ripped away from their home and arrested and accused of one of the most heinous acts that anyone can commit," Merryman told reporters. "Just because the case is high-profile and the victim happens to be known very well in our community, that doesn't mean we can take shortcuts in determining who should be held accountable.

The spokesperson for the Kansas City, Missouri, Police Department described the investigation into Brady's killing as "open" and that "detectives will continue to pursue all leads."

A GoFundMe account has raised over $191k to help support his wife and two children. 

The fundraiser states: “As a chef, Shaun Brady nourished his community not just with incredible food, but with a deep pride in his culture and a contagious enthusiasm for celebration.

“The light he brought to our Irish community will endure through those touched by his talent, spirit, and joy for life."