A murder trial was halted in Limerick yesterday after two jurors had to be excused.
The trial of two men charged with murdering Limerick man Patrick Crawford on June 2nd, 2002, was due to begin yesterday at the Central Criminal Court. The 41-year-old died after being stabbed near his home in Moyross last year.
Mr Patrick Desmond (28), of St Muchin's Street, St Mary's Park, Limerick, and Mr Stuart Moloney (18), of Castlepark Moyross, Limerick, deny the charge, and also plead not guilty to assaulting Mr Crawford causing him serious harm on the same date.
Yesterday Judge Barry White said he had no option but to discharge two jurors after hearing that one of the panel, a woman, was nervous of jury duty, and that a male juror worked with an uncle of one of the accused.
The woman juror presented a medical certificate, and both judge and counsel agreed there were "compelling reasons" why she should be excused.
The male juror then said he did not realise his mother lived so close to the murder scene, and that he worked with an uncle of one of the accused.
The jury of 11 men and one woman had been sworn in by Mr Justice Henry Abbot on Tuesday. After empanelling, Mr Justice Abbot adjourned the case until yesterday, and dismissed the remainder of the jury panel.
Yesterday, Judge White said it was "unfortunate" that matters concerning the two jurors had not been brought to Judge Abbot's attention on Tuesday, but he understood "that when people find themselves in a strange environment" these things can happen.
Judge White directed the county registrar to send out 200 emergency jury-service summonses as the trial had not yet commenced and he could not "even contemplate" starting a trial with just 10 jurors. He was sending out so many summonses because he would "be very surprised if all 200 attend. Indeed, I would be surprised if the majority of those attend."
Judge Abbot asked the remaining 10 jurors to return to court on Monday.