Date set for Roy Butler Inquest

Butler (23) died five days post Janssen covid 19 vaccine

Dates have been set for the inquest into the death of a young footballer Roy Butler (23) from Waterford, who died five days post Janssen covid vaccine. The three day hearing takes place at the end of September before Coroner Philip Comyn in Cork.

The inquest will hear that the young footballer did not want to take a covid vaccine, but did so to access the gym and to travel, under government imposed lockdown measures. He opted for the ‘one shot’ Janssen Covid 19 vaccine, manufactured by Johnson and Johnson, which he received on August 12, 2021.

He suffered seizures, vomiting and convulsions and was taken by ambulance to Waterford General Hospital. He was placed in an induced coma and transferred to Cork University Hospital (CUH), where he was pronounced dead on August 17 2021.

A post mortem was conducted at CUH by Assistant State Pathologist Dr Margaret Bolster. Dr Bolster’s report will form a crucial part of the upcoming three day inquest, due to take place at the Courthouse, Washington Street, Cork on September 24, 25 and 26, 2024.

The lengthy process of preparing an inquest into his death has been underway for almost three years, with delays previously reported on this Substack relating to lack of engagement from the pharmaceutical company following a request by the Coroner for safety data.

A number of preliminary hearings have taken place ahead of next month’s inquest and a witness list for proceedings is being finalised. Roy’s parents, Angela and Martin Butler and his brother Aaron Butler are among those who will give evidence at the inquest.

Paramedics who responded to the emergency call to the Butler home will also give evidence, along with Roy’s GP and multiple hospital staff members.

Roy received the injection at a vaccination centre on August 12 2021. He reported feeling unwell immediately. He subsequently experienced headaches, fever, grogginess and pain in his jaw in the days following the procedure. He was assured that these were ‘normal’ reactions to the shot.

On Sunday August 15 2021, Roy went to work a night shift at the contact lens manufacturing plant Bausch and Lomb. After he finished work, he drove home and slept before going to the gym but was unable to carry out any physical activities and returned home early.

At home, he complained of feeling extremes of hot and cold and went upstairs to his bedroom where his condition deteriorated rapidly.

Paramedics arrived at the family home and Roy was transferred to Waterford General Hospital. He was placed in an induced coma and transferred to Cork University Hospital, where he was pronounced dead the following day, August 17 2021.

He had suffered a catastrophic bleed to the brain.

In an interview with this Substack early in the inquest preparation stage, Roy’s brother Aaron revealed the young sportsman was at the peak of his health when he took the Janssen shot. He was training multiple times a week in the gym, with his club and coaching younger players in his community.

“Roy was a fit, athletic, healthy, passionate person who loved helping people. He was a coach as well as a player. I used to call him ‘the finished product,’ because he was the full package.

“He was a gentleman, he had it all,” Roy’s brother Aaron Butler said.

The Butler family were left devastated by Roy’s tragic and untimely loss.

“He definitely didn’t think he needed any vaccine for flu or covid or anything,” Aaron said.

“He had a big group of friends and they all felt the same way, they had to take it in order to get into the gym, the pub and to travel. The gym was a big thing for Roy, he had always looked after himself, he never even drank coffee.”

“There was no way he needed that vaccine,” Aaron said.

The Janssen covid vaccine was subsequently withdrawn from use.

As part of its marketing campaign for the Janssen injection, the Health Service Executive (HSE) produced an information booklet on the Janssen covid vaccine. The following excerpt is dated April 8 2021.

Q “Is the vaccine safe?”

A “The HSE only uses vaccines when they meet the required standards of safety and effectiveness. While the work to develop COVID-19 vaccines has moved much faster than usual, the vaccine we are offering you has gone through all the usual steps needed to develop and approve a safe and effective vaccine. In order to be approved for use, the COVID-19 vaccine went through all the clinical trials and safety checks all other licensed medicines go through, following international standards of safety. The vaccine we are offering you is called COVID-19 Vaccine Janssen. It has: been tested with thousands of people as part of clinical trials met strict standards of safety, quality and effectiveness, and been approved and licensed by regulators. For Ireland, the regulator is the European Medicines Agency (EMA) – visit www.ema.europa.eu for more information.”

The HSE listed a number of side effects for the Janssen Covid 19 vaccine on its website, before the shot was withdrawn.

The list included 'very unusual blood clots' as a rare but possibly deadly side effect.

‘Very rare side effects’ included ‘very unusual blood clots with low platelets’ and Guillain-Barré syndrome (GBS) that may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people, according to the HSE.

'Rare' side effects of the Janssen injection affecting one in 1,000 people included ‘blood clots in the deep veins – such as deep vein thrombosis and pulmonary embolisms,’ according to the HSE.

"Very rarely, one in 300,000 people may develop very unusual blood clots with low platelets. One in 10 of these people may die. This risk of this very rare condition is higher in young people," the HSE stated on its website.

*This Substack will look at safety data on the Janssen shot in more detail over the coming weeks. Any readers with research items that might be of interest - such as documented injuries or deaths post Janssen covid vaccine - please share links in the comments.

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