Two brothers went on trial at the Central Criminal Court today accused of murdering a Co Offaly farmer three years ago.
Daniel-Joseph Byrne (39), of Hammer Lane, Borness, Mountmellick, Co Laois, and Jason Byrne (33), of the same address, have pleaded not guilty to the murder of Edward Dempsey in 2007.
The 49-year-old father died in Portlaoise Hospital 10 months after the alleged assault.
At the Central Criminal Court yesterday, the jury panel was informed by senior prosecuting counsel Aileen Donnelly that the allegation against the two brothers relates to an incident at their farmyard on Hammer Lane on December 18th, 2006.
Ten men and two women were then sworn in as the trial jury.
The case, which is expected to take up to three weeks, began this morning before Mr Justice Patrick McCarthy.
The brothers' original trial for murdering Mr Dempsey was halted last year because of “insuperable” difficulties.