The jury in the trial of a Wexford man accused of murder spent last night in a hotel and will this morning resume deliberations.
Yesterday, after almost four hours, the jury was unable to reach a verdict in the trial of Mr Nicholas Donnelly (27) of Talbot Green, Wexford.
Mr Donnelly pleaded not guilty at the Central Criminal Court in Dublin to the murder of Mr Gordon Farrell (20) at his home at Bernadette Place, Wexford, on September 23rd, 2001.
Earlier yesterday Mr Justice O'Donovan told the jury that if they found the accused to have been provoked "to such an extent" that he had a "sudden and complete loss of control and was not his own master" then the jury "must acquit the accused of murder and convict on manslaughter".
Before the members of the jury were dismissed to begin their deliberations, Mr Justice O'Donovan yesterday reviewed the evidence, re-reading crucial evidence in the four-day murder trial.
This included that of the deceased's girlfriend, Ms Michelle Donnelly, who has a five-year-old daughter from her relationship with Mr Farrell and is the accused's sister.
Mr Justice O'Donovan said Ms Donnelly told the jury that on the night in question, she went for a few drinks with the accused and Mr Farrell in Bradys, a local Wexford pub. In her evidence for the prosecution, she said that when they returned to Bernadette Place after 1.30 a.m. a fight broke out and Mr Farrell was stabbed.