Jury sent home for weekend in trial of man charged with murder of archaeologist

A jury at the Central Criminal Court has been discharged for the weekend in the trial of a man accused of murdering archaeologist Emmett Connolly. Kevin Moran, aged 30, from Cootehill, County Cavan, is charged with the murder of Mr Connolly at Lodgeview, Cootehill on 29 September 2013. Mr Moran has pleaded not guilty to murder but guilty to manslaughter, a plea not accepted by the Director of Public Prosecutions. Over five days of evidence, the jury of seven men and five women heard that the deceased was stabbed 17 times following a drink-fuelled argument on 28 September 2013. The court was told Mr Moran gave conflicting accounts to gardaí, initially stating he panicked during a fight before later claiming he acted in a rage. The jury began deliberations this morning and sat for four hours and 43 minutes before Mr Justice Paul Carney adjourned proceedings. Deliberations will resume Monday at 11am.