It has been described as the murder trial of its time. In 1992 , Mary Lynch confessed to killing her banker husband Leary during a domestic dispute. Lynch was convicted and spent 14 years behind bars at the Fort Augusta Adult Correctional Centre, Jamaica’s lone prison for women, she was released on May 18, 2007.

Now Mary Lynch tells her story in the one-woman stage drama The Innocence of Guilt: The Mary Lynch Story, which opens today at the Jamaica Shopping Club Theatre, formerly Green Gables Theatre in St Andrew.

Award-winning actress Rosie Murray takes on the title role, which she describes as a dream role for any actress.

“When you check out the news and hear of the number of women being killed and the levels of domestic abuse, I believe it is time for us to speak. There are aspects of this story that nobody has heard, and Mary strongly believes had these been brought to light during the trial, she would not have been sentenced. We must realise that she too has a story and this play will give Mary Lynch a chance to speak,” she told the Jamaica Observer.

He noted that putting together this story has been a challenge, based on the complexity of the case and the fact that Mary Lynch’s story will go against the grain of what is documented and what many persons have believed to be facts.

The challenge of bringing the story to the stage rests with writer and producer Michael Dawson.

“It involved a lot of research… hours sitting with Mary, who is now 76 years old, to get her story. We have also conducted a number of interviews which have been recorded and could provide footage for the documentary in the future. I have produced about 10 plays in the past, and this is the first one that has had to be read and viewed by the attorneys so many times to avoid any issue. We are not adding any dramatic licence to this script; there is no adjusting of her story to make it more believable. So whether or not you believe her, this is her story,” Dawson explained.