A jury retired to a hotel tonight after failing to reach a unanimous verdict in the trial of a Louth man accused of murdering a young German woman in 2001.
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| Mr Michael Murphy
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The seven men and five women deliberated on evidence at the Central Criminalcourt for two-and-a-half hours before Mr Justice Aindrias O'Caoimh orderedthem to rest for the night and sent them to a Dublin hotel. They wereearlier directed by the judge that their verdict must be unanimous.
"If you have any doubt on the matter you must proceed to acquit," said MrJustice O'Caoimh in his address to the jury earlier today,adding that they must find that the prosecution had "proved beyondreasonable doubt" before bringing a guilty verdict against the accused, MrMichael Murphy.
Mr Murphy (42) has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Ms Bettina Poeschel(28) at Donore, Co Meath on a date on or between 25th September and 17th October2001. Ms Poeschel's badly-decomposed remains were found lying in denseundergrowth at Donore some three weeks after her disappearance on 25September 2001.
Ms Poeschel's younger sister and father have travelled from their home inMunich, Germany for the conclusion of the trial and were present in courtfor today's proceedings.
Over the past four weeks the jury have heard evidence from seventy-fivewitnesses, including the sister and friend of the accused and three Latviantruck-drivers who worked with the accused in September 2001.
The jury heard evidence of alleged admissions by Mr Murphy that he returnedto the body and hid the red shoes, trousers and socks of Ms Poeschel in agraveyard skip. DNA matching that of Mr Murphy was also identified on swabstaken from Ms Poeschel's body.
The jury will resume their deliberations at the Central Criminal court tomorrow morning.