Murder trial jury seeks to re-hear Lillis testimony

THE jury in the Eamonn Lillis murder trial have sought to re-examine a number of important exhibits and re-hear key evidence, including the testimony of the accused.

The jury of six men and six women will resume deliberations this morning after spending just under one and a half hours considering their verdict yesterday.

TV advertising director Lillis, 52, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of his wife, Celine Cawley, aged 46, at their family home at Rowan Hill, Windgate Road, Howth, Co Dublin, on December 15, 2008.

Before the conclusion of yesterday’s hearing, the foreman of the jury asked to examine several pieces of evidence, including a copy of the 999 call made by Lillis on the morning of his wife’s death.

The jury has been advised by Mr Justice White, that it can return a verdict of murder or manslaughter or find the accused innocent of the unlawful killing of his wife.

After being formally charged, the jury were recalled after 57 minutes when the judge explained that they could return a verdict of manslaughter on the grounds of provocation, self-defence or gross negligence if the evidence was available to make such a finding.

Mr Justice White had earlier suggested that a manslaughter verdict for any of those reasons might only exist “in theory” as they had not been raised by Lillis as a defence.

The judge said he hoped the jury didn’t think the manner in which he originally charged them was directed towards returning a particular verdict.

He corrected and clarified a number of facts which he had mentioned in his initial summary of the case. The judge also highlighted a number of other pieces of evidence at the request of defence counsel, Brendan Grehan.

The jury were informed that only a unanimous verdict was acceptable at this stage of the proceedings, although the judge also reminded them that they had “a right to disagree”.