Courts / Dublin / Report

Jurors in law professor's murder trial pull trigger of revolver with which he shot trespasser

Date
2024-11-07

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Tallaght

County
Dublin

Summary

Jurors in the murder trial of law professor Diarmuid Phelan have been invited to hold and pull the trigger of the Smith & Wesson revolver used in the fatal shooting of Mr Conlon on Phelan's farmland. The prosecution, led by John Byrne SC, explained the exercise to help jurors understand the five kilos of pressure required to pull the trigger. The judge, Ms Justice Siobhan Lankford, declined to participate, stating she would pass. Mr Phelan, 56, has pleaded not guilty to murdering Mr Conlon, 36, on February 24, 2022. Detective Garda Seamus O'Donnell testified that the revolver had no manually activated safety mechanism and that it was considered very safe. He confirmed that the gun had been made safe for the exercise and that it could not fire if dropped. Eight of the 12 jurors opted to pull the trigger.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Jurors in law professor's murder trial pull trigger of revolver with which he shot trespasser. Charges or matters: murdering father-of-four Mr Conlon (36) at Hazelgrove Farm, Kiltalown Lane, Tallaght, Dublin 24 on February 24, 2022. Procedural stage: trial

When:

February 24, 2022 Hearing Or Sentence
February 22 Incident
2024-11-07 Publication

Why: 7 metres tall in order to cause the bullet to strike that individual 60mm below the top point of the head, you would have to aim at the head and 1. CNI source report

Case subjects

Diarmuid Phelan

Defendant

Charges: murdering father-of-four Mr Conlon (36) at Hazelgrove Farm, Kiltalown Lane, Tallaght, Dublin 24 on February 24, 2022 (Alleged Or Contested)

Plea: Not guilty