Jury in Mallow murder trial ask judge to explain law in relation to self-defence

The jury will resume their deliberations in the morning

Tyler Jackson (pictured) has denied the charge of murdering 24-year-old Conor Quinn at Bridge Street, Mallow, County Cork, on July 12, 2018.

The jury in the Mallow murder trial deliberated throughout the day on Wednesday — only returning to court to ask the judge to go over again the law in relation to self-defence.

Ms Justice Eileen Creedon addressed the eight men and four women of the jury at the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cork on legal issues related to self-defence. Later in the afternoon, Ms Justice Creedon sent the jurors home and asked them to return to resume their deliberations at 11am on Thursday.

Tyler (Tiggy) Jackson of Ballydaheen West, Mallow, County Cork, denied the charge of murdering 24-year-old Conor Quinn at Bridge Street, Mallow, County Cork, on July 12, 2018.

The defence claimed during the trial that the accused never had a knife in his possession on that date.

The prosecution said there was a witness who saw him leaving the scene after the fatal stabbing occurred and that he was carrying a kitchen knife.

The jury was told that the accused was under no obligation to give evidence and in fact he chose not to do so.

During the trial, the jury was told that in the moment where it is alleged that Mr Jackson stabbed Mr Quinn, the defendant put his hand towards the deceased man’s chest once. 

That evidence came from Samantha Quinn who was present in a car on Bridge Street at the time. A cousin of the deceased, she had been travelling in the car with the deceased and other relatives.

She said: “He stabbed him. Tiggy stabbed my cousin, Conor, in the chest. Then Conor fell down to the ground. He did not fully fall down. It was like someone who was tripping. He fell forwards. He had sunglasses on his head — they fell on to the ground.” 

Brian McInerney, defence senior counsel, cross-examined the witness, and said another witness described seeing him in the park in Mallow and that “he was very angry, he was waving around a weapon”. 

The defence senior counsel reminded Samantha Quinn of her statement to gardaí where she said of the deceased: “He was mad, roaring at Tiggy.” In court she confirmed: “Yes. He was mad.” 

Mr McInerney said: “At no time that evening did Tyler Jackson have a knife or a blade. Nor did he stab Conor Quinn.” Samantha Quinn replied: “So why did Conor die? Why did he have a lesion in his chest that we could see?”