A jury at a murder trial in Dublin has asked to be shown the blade from a garden shears that was allegedly used to stab a 17-year-old boy to death.
Richard Dekker (30), with an address in the Blanchardstown area of Dublin, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of 17-year-old Daniel McAnaspie at Tolka Valley Park, Blanchardstown, on February 26th, 2010.
The jury of seven women and five men are considering their verdict at the Central Criminal Court. On Monday they asked whether they could take a blade from a garden shears into the jury room.
Secluded area
The prosecution case is that Mr Dekker and another man, Trevor Noone, lured Daniel McAnaspie to a secluded area of Tolka Valley Park, where Mr Noone stabbed the teenager repeatedly with the shears.
The jury also asked on Monday for an explanation of the difference between manslaughter and murder.
Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy told them that for a person to be guilty of murder they must have the intention to kill or cause serious harm.
If the accused intended to cause an injury that was less than serious but more than trivial, he should be found guilty of manslaughter.
He explained to the jury that they must decide what “serious harm” means as it is not defined by law.
The jury was sent home at 4pm and will return on Tuesday.