The sister of a man accused of murdering a former kickboxing champion in a Dublin pub broke down in the witness box yesterday as she told the court how her brother stood directly behind the victim with his arms outstretched as the shots were being fired.
Asked by prosecuting counsel Brendan Grehan SC whether it was possible that her brother's actions were a means of supporting the victim, Mary Kennedy shook her head from side to side and replied, "no".
Ms Kennedy was giving evidence in the trial of her brother, Bernard Dempsey (48), from Golden Lane, Dublin, who denies murdering James Curran (42), at the Green Lizard pub, Francis Street, Dublin, on April 3rd, 2005.
Ms Kennedy told Mr Grehan that she was sitting at a table with a number of other people, including the victim, who was sitting directly opposite her, when she heard the initial "bang".
She turned to look directly at Mr Curran.
"There were splatters of blood coming from the back of his head.
"His eyes appeared horrible," she said.
"Bernard was standing directly behind him.
"His arms were in front of him. They were outstretched," she added.
Ms Kennedy said she then heard another two shots being fired but didn't notice anyone else around him.
Under cross-examination by Patrick Martin Giblin SC, defending, Ms Kennedy said she didn't see what was in her brother's hands.
Ms Kennedy said that she just saw that his arms were close together.
Thomas Walsh, who was also present at the time of the murder, told the court he saw Mr Dempsey in the pub on the night in question.
He told Mr Grehan that he saw Mr Dempsey walking towards the door after the shooting.
Under cross-examination by Mr Giblin, he said the way Mr Dempsey walked out of the pub was "perfectly normal" under the circumstances.
Another sister of the accused, Margaret O'Reilly, also gave evidence.
She told the court that on the night of the murder, Mr Dempsey turned up at her house but that she wasn't sure what time.
The trial before Mr Justice Paul Carney and a jury continues today.