The jury in the trial of Mr David Murphy, a Dublin man who denies murdering his wife and dumping her body beside a refuse skip in 1996, was sent to a hotel last night before continuing its deliberations today.
In a late sitting of the Central Criminal Court, jurors again watched the video-link evidence of three of the couple's children. They had asked to see the evidence again and the trial judge, Mr Justice Cyril Kelly, ruled that they could, but that they must see it in full.
Mr Murphy (36), of Munster Street, Phibsboro, Dublin, has denied that he murdered his wife, Patricia (33), on May 27th or 28th, 1996, in their home in Griffith Avenue and that he dumped her body beside a skip at The Rise, Glasnevin.
The jury first retired at 3.05 p.m. yesterday after a trial which has lasted since the beginning of the month.
At 3.25 p.m. they were recalled to be redirected on a number of issues by the judge. Following further representations from counsel, Mr Justice Kelly recalled the jury again at 3.39 p.m. and read them part of the evidence given by the State Pathologist, Dr John Harbison.
They went to consider their verdict at 3.42 p.m., returning again at 5.44 p.m. with two questions.
The foreman of the jury told the judge that they required "greater clarity on the evidence of the children", the video-link evidence recorded a year ago in the District Court and played to the jury during the trial.
The foreman said that the jurors also needed to hear extracts from the testimony of the foster mother and the child therapist who had had contact with the children since their mother's death.
The judge sent the jurors out and after legal argument told them that it had been agreed to show the video evidence in full, but that it was normal practice for juries to be sent to a hotel not later than 8 p.m.
The foreman asked: "Is it not possible to hear it this evening? We would have a preference if we could hear it this evening."
Mr Justice Kelly told them that he wanted "fairness of procedure" and sent them away for some minutes. When he recalled them at 6.15 p.m., after further legal argument, the foreman again told the judge that it would be their preference to view the video-link evidence last night.
The judge ruled that the video be shown. The jurors watched it in another court with screening facilities until 8.15 p.m. They again retired at 8.32 p.m. after the evidence of the foster mother and the care worker was read to them.
At 9.05 p.m. they were sent to a hotel for the night, having spent a total of three hours and two minutes deliberating.