Courts / Dublin / Report

Jury finds law professor who shot farm trespasser not guilty of murder

Date
2025-01-03

Stage
Trial

Primary locality
Tallaght

County
Dublin

Summary

Law professor Diarmuid Phelan, aged 56, was acquitted of murder after a ten‑week trial at the Central Criminal Court. The jury, after six hours and 51 minutes of deliberation over two days, found that Phelan acted in self‑defence when he fired three warning shots at trespassers on his farm. The prosecution had argued that the third shot, fired with the gun pointed toward Keith Conlon, intended to kill or seriously injure him. Phelan maintained that he had no intention to kill and that the fatal shot was accidental, caused by stress‑related misalignment and Conlon's movement uphill. The jury rejected the State's case, concluding that Phelan's belief in an imminent attack and the force used were reasonable under the circumstances. Phelan left the courtroom free, while Conlon's family expressed hurt and disappointment at the verdict. The judge thanked the jurors and exempted them from further service for life. Diarmuid Phelan pleaded not guilty.

Who, what, where, when and why

What: Report matter: Jury finds law professor who shot farm trespasser not guilty of murder. Charges or matters: murdering father-of-four Keith 'Bono' 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
2025-01-03 Publication

Why: Counsel said the killing of trespasser Mr Conlon was "a tragedy and a grievous waste of human life" but it did not happen because of any crime committed by Mr Phelan. CNI source report

Case subjects

Diarmuid Phelan

Defendant

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

Plea: Not guilty