A man accused of murdering a teenager told a jury in the Central Criminal Court that he was the object of a conspiracy. Mr Michael O'Brien (27), single and unemployed, of Gallowsfield, Tralee, Co Kerry, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr James Healy (16) of Shanakill, Tralee, at Monavalley Industrial Estate in Tralee on or about February 22nd, 1997.
During cross-examination by Mr John Edwards SC, prosecuting, the defendant said he had not told another man that he killed Mr Healy.
Mr O'Brien said that the man to whom Mr Edwards referred was involved in a conspiracy against him, along with three other named individuals.
Asked by Mr Edwards if certain named individuals or gardai were conspiring against him, Mr O'Brien said: "I'd say both."
"Extraordinary," Mr Edwards said.
Referring to evidence by Mr Darren O'Shea, Mr Edwards put it to the defendant that he wanted to "brag to him about killing James Healy", but that he wanted to cover his tracks.
Mr O'Shea has told the court that on March 17th, 1997, Mr O'Brien told him that he had killed Mr Healy but that he was not to tell anyone.
Mr Edwards said Mr O'Brien covered his tracks by "giving Darren O'Shea disinformation and misinformation", by saying that he had killed Mr Healy on the Saturday night, not the Friday night. "I put it to you that Darren O'Shea spoke the truth here," Mr Edwards said.
Mr O'Brien said Mr O'Shea was "lying through his teeth" and had conspired with gardai against him.
Mr Edwards responded that Mr O'Shea had told the court, "I don't like the guards and they don't like me," and that he was not giving evidence out of any favour to the guards.
"I say he spoke the truth," Mr Edwards said.
The jury has heard that Mr O'Brien and the deceased were associates who drank cider together occasionally.
Mr Healy's body was found on wasteground near a factory off the Monavalley Road in Tralee.
The trial before Mr Justice Kinlen and the jury continues.