Jury discharged in Mounjoy murder trial

The jury in the trial of a 28- year-old man accused of murdering Derek Glennon in Mountjoy Prison last year has been discharged following the withdrawal of two jurors.

Declan O’Reilly, of Parnell Road, Crumlin, Dublin 12, pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Glennon in Mountjoy on June 25, 2007.

The jury had been sworn in at the Central Criminal Court on Monday of this week and the case had been adjourned to Wednesday morning at the request of defence counsel to allow certain issues to be considered.

The jury were called in to begin the trial on Wednesday when a female juror told Mr Justice Kevin O’Higgins that she knew family members of certain people connected to the trial.

Mr Justice O’Higgins excused her from service and then heard from a male juror who had a medical certificate pronouncing him unfit to serve.

The judge discharged the remaining members of the jury and said it would be undesirable and against the wishes of prosecution and defence counsel to continue with only ten jurors.

Mr Justice O’Higgins said it was unfortunate that the difficulties had not been brought to his attention before Wednesday morning. He remanded Mr O’Reilly in custody and put the matter into Monday of next week’s list for a new jury to be sworn in.