The jury in the trial of five Limerick men accused of murdering Kieran Keane have been offered free flu vaccinations in the event of a flu epidemic during the high-profile trial.
Mr Justice Carney said yesterday that the Central Criminal Court must "nurture and cherish" the jury and it cannot be allowed to fall below a certain number. A doctor will attend at Cloverhill courthouse on Tuesday to vaccinate the judge, the registrar and the jurors, should they decide to accept the vaccination, the uptake of which is voluntary.
The court heard that one juror had suffered a bereavement and could not attend court on Friday. The judge said he was not going to discharge the jury and to facilitate the juror, the court will not sit on Friday.
The chief witness, Mr Owen Treacy, continued his cross-examination yesterday. He told the jury he watched his uncle, Kieran Keane, "being pushed to the ground like a dog and shot like a dog with his hands tied behind his back".
He alleged that Mr Christopher Costelloe cut his throat with a knife before Mr David Stanners "grabbed the knife" and began stabbing Mr Treacy. Mr Blaise O'Carroll SC, representing Mr Desmond Dundon, said Mr Keane suffered six stab wounds to the left side of the head. He said the pathologist's evidence would be that these wounds suggested they were inflicted for reasons of torture and were not intended to be fatal.
He asked Mr Treacy why he made no mention of the stabbing. "Can you explain?" Mr O'Carroll asked. "I cannot, my lord," Mr Treacy replied. He repeated that he saw his uncle being dragged in front of the headlights of a van and shot dead, but he did not see him being stabbed.
Earlier, counsel for Mr Stanners objected to Mr Treacy's use of the nickname "Frogs Eyes". Mr Anthony Sammon SC, complained that the term was a "continuing insult" to his client.