THE JURY in the Melissa Mahon murder trial was yesterday sent home for a second evening after failing to reach a verdict.
At just after 4pm, Mr Justice Barry White told the six men and six women to return to the Central Criminal Court at 10.30am this morning to resume deliberations after a difficulty arose in relation to re-playing video evidence to the jury.
Ronald McManus (44), also known as Ronnie Dunbar, of Rathbraughan Park, Sligo, has pleaded not guilty to murdering 14-year-old Melissa in September 2006. He also denies threatening to kill one of his daughters, Samantha Conroy.
Melissa Mahon went missing from the care of the Health Service Executive on September 14th, 2006. Her skeletal remains were found by gardaí on the shore of Lough Gill in February 2008 after the accused man’s daughter spoke to gardaí.
The jury had deliberated for 2½ hours on Monday. Yesterday they resumed deliberations at 10.50am but at lunchtime asked the court to replay video link evidence given by Ms Conroy.
The jury was moved to another court room to facilitate the playing of a section of defence counsel Brendan Grehan SC cross-examining Ms Conroy. The jury then asked to see another section of video which could not at that moment be retrieved.