Jury deliberations due in Badri Khvedelidze murder trial

This report is a localnews.ie summary based on public court reporting and records; sources are listed below.

The jury in Badri Khvedelidze’s murder trial at the Central Criminal Court was due to begin deliberations on 3 November 2015. Justice Isobel Kennedy was due to conclude her summary that day. The proceedings were reported on 2 November 2015.

Badri Khvedelidze, 33, has pleaded not guilty to murder. The charge concerns the death of fellow Georgian George Tkeshelashvili at Westward Court in Tralee, Co Kerry, on 15 October 2005.

Summing up the prosecution case, Tim O'Leary SC said chief witness Givi Verdzeuli had given a credible account. Mr Verdzeuli testified that he saw the men arguing and heard Mr Tkeshelashvili insult Mr Khvedelidze’s mother. He described a punch to the chest, followed by blood gushing out and a knife in Mr Khvedelidze’s hand.

Mr Verdzeuli said he later concluded that the argument began over backgammon after seeing the board and a table overturned in the room where the men had been playing.

Defence counsel Kerida Naidoo SC called Mr Verdzeuli unreliable, saying he initially told gardaí he had not seen the incident but changed his account the following day.

Mr Naidoo also said Mr Verdzeuli, deported to Georgia in 2010 after failing to secure asylum, had sought assurances against another deportation when returning to testify. Mr Verdzeuli denied seeking those assurances, but a translator subsequently confirmed it. Garda witnesses confirmed they had sought to have the deportation order lifted so he could return to give evidence.

Mr Naidoo said Sow Unmi, who saw someone leaving the stabbing scene carrying a knife, failed to identify Mr Khvedelidze from a photograph shown by gardaí. He argued this was direct evidence that Mr Khvedelidze had not carried out the stabbing.

Justice Isobel Kennedy said the jury could return a verdict of murder, manslaughter or not guilty of any offence.