The jury in the trial of two brothers and their father who deny murdering a gunman after he shot at their home will return to court on Thursday having spent two days considering its verdict.
The foreman of the jury asked Justice Paul Coffey to explain the charges and possible verdicts in relation to each man, and to reiterate the definition of provocation. Justice Coffey said he would take up those matters on Thursday so they could recommence their deliberations.
Paul Bradley (54) and his sons Jason (20), and Dean (24), of Liscarne Gardens, Dublin, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Neil Reilly (36) at Esker Glebe in Lucan, Dublin, on January 18th, 2017. A third brother, Ryan Bradley (18), was acquitted of murder on Monday by direction of the judge.
During the six-week trial the jury heard that Jason Bradley owed Neil Reilly more than €9,000 for drugs. Mr Reilly, having previously broken into the Bradley home, fired two shots at their house in the early hours of January 18th last year.
The Bradleys followed him in a four-wheel-drive vehicle driven by Paul Bradley, with Jason in the passenger seat, and a BMW driven by Dean Bradley.
The prosecution says that Paul and Jason caught up with Mr Reilly at Esker Glebe, and Jason beat him to death with a sharp, chopping implement.
Evidence
The prosecution further alleges that Paul Bradley was involved in a joint enterprise with Jason, and shared his intention to kill or cause serious injury to Mr Reilly.
Jason Bradley’s defence barrister, Michael Bowman SC, told the jury that there was evidence that he was provoked by Mr Reilly’s actions to the point where he lost all self-control and should be found guilty of manslaughter and not murder.
Brendan Grehan SC for Paul Bradley asked the jury to acquit, saying that to find him guilty would be to blame him for Jason’s actions.
Dean Bradley has admitted that his BMW struck and drove over Mr Reilly, an act the prosecution says was deliberate.
Dean Bradley’s barrister, Matthias Kelly SC, said it was an accident caused by his client’s poor eyesight, and the fact that Mr Reilly was lying in the road when Dean’s car approached Esker Glebe at speed.