Jury fails to reach verdict in trial of teenager accused of postman's murder

A jury in Cork, Ireland, could not reach a verdict after deliberating for over 18 hours in the murder trial of a 17-year-old accused of killing postman Barry Daly. The teenager, whose identity is protected by law, had pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, as did his co-accused, Alex Deady, 21.

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catastrophic head and facial injuries

During the trial, the court heard that Daly, a father of five, suffered "catastrophic" head and facial injuries, including a broken jaw, after being struck with golf clubs. Assistant State Pathologist Dr. Margot Bolster testified that Daly inhaled a significant amount of blood, leading to breathing difficulties.

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would have caused an awful lot of bleeding that would have been inhaled in to the lungs.

While the 17-year-old's plea to unlawful killing was accepted by the Director of Public Prosecution, the jury found Deady guilty of murder by unanimous decision after nearly 12 hours of deliberation. A third defendant, who also faced a murder charge, had previously pleaded guilty to unlawful killing.

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there was no prospect of them reaching a verdict on which they could they could agree

The jury of six men and five women indicated they could not agree on a verdict for the 17-year-old, even with the option of a majority decision. A 12th juror was excused earlier in the trial. The case is scheduled for mention again on July 10th, where state directions will be provided. Judge Siobhan Lankford thanked the jury for their service and discharged them for seven years.

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hardworking