A man accused of murdering a teenager told gardai he "lost the head" and killed the youth, a jury in the Central Criminal Court has been told. Mr Michael O'Brien (27), single and unemployed, of Gallowsfield, Tralee, Co Kerry, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of James Healy (16), of Shanakill, Tralee, at Monavalley Industrial Estate, Tralee, on or about February 22nd, 1997.
Giving evidence, Sgt Mossie O'Donnell, of Dingle Garda station, said Mr O'Brien made the admission in a memo of an interview taken on March 22nd, 1997. The memo read that Mr O'Brien allegedly said: "I had planned with James Healy to do Barry's shop on Saturday." When he met Mr Healy later, he was tipsy. "I gave off to him for being drunk and he gave me cheek. He was my deputy and he should not have been giving me cheek. . .I did not mean to kill James Healy but I lost the head. I did not know James Healy was dead until I heard it on the news," the memo allegedly read.
In cross-examination, Mr Blaise O'Carroll SC, defending, put it to Det Sgt O'Donnell that gardai were trying to "frame" Mr O'Brien. He said Mr O'Brien had allegedly given an alternative confession to gardai on another occasion about the murder. In this he allegedly said he had "found out" Mr Healy had been using drugs and "about [Mr Healy] taking the tabs", Mr O'Carroll said. The previous confession alleged Mr O'Brien responded to Mr Healy's alleged drug-taking with: "I had to deal with him. I gave him a good few belts with the bar."
Mr O'Carroll said the gardai were "indifferent as to whether Mr O'Brien had killed James Healy" but were interested in working to a "preordained plan" to frame him. Mr Justice Kinlen asked the witness if there was a "conspiracy to frame him". Det Sgt O'Donnnell said: "Absolutely not." The trial continues today.