A man accused of murdering a teenager said four people who gave evidence against him were mistaken, a jury in the Central Criminal Court heard yesterday.
The evidence, previously given by relatives and a neighbour, stated that the defendant was seen near the murder scene with the deceased on the night of the murder.
Mr Michael O'Brien (27), single and unemployed, of Gallowsfield, Tralee, Co Kerry, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Mr James Healy (16), of Shanakill, Tralee, at Monavalley Industrial Estate, Tralee, on or about February 22nd, 1997.
The defendant told the court that evidence given by the four witnesses was "totally untrue".
"I did not meet James Healy on Friday, February 21st," he said.
Mr John Edwards SC, prosecuting, put it to the defendant that he was "well able to manipulate and lie for your own self-serving" purposes.
Mr Edwards said the case was that Mr O'Brien had "had heated words" with the deceased and "bludgeoned" him to death, having "smashed his head and scattered his teeth".
Mr O'Brien killed Mr Healy because he was giving him "cheek" and he "lost the head", counsel said.
Mr Edwards suggested to Mr O'Brien that following the attack he realised he "needed to get an alibi", so he cycled into town "fast", met a named man and had a conversation with him.
At one point in the cross-examination, Mr Edwards said to the defendant that he had been "in trouble with the law on a number of occasions, and in prison on a number of occasions".
Mr O'Brien replied that he had been charged in the Circuit Court in 1989 with "doing a pub".
The defendant then announced from the witness box: "You and I crossed swords before."
Directing his comments at the prosecution counsel, Mr O'Brien said: "You came out second best on that occasion and you'll come out second best on this occasion."
Mr Edwards suggested to the defendant that he was "fairly aware of how the criminal justice system works" and that he liked to show off and was not in the least bit intimidated by it.
"I am not a judge or a criminal defence lawyer, but I get help off people," Mr O'Brien said.
Mr Edwards said to Mr O'Brien that he had "sold a trail of misinformation and disinformation" to shield himself from prosecution.
He said that "such was your confidence in your own ability that you thought you could extricate yourself from suspicion of the murder of James Healy".
Mr Edwards suggested to Mr O'Brien that he couldn't help himself "boasting about what he had done" and that by boasting he had implicated himself.
The prosecution put it to Mr O'Brien that he had written a letter to gardai in an effort to "direct the trail elsewhere," to help himself.
"But ego got the better of you," Mr Edwards said.
"You couldn't resist, couldn't help yourself snubbing your thumb at the gardai", he said.
Mr O'Brien denied the propositions were true.
He said he had "magnificent confidence in this case" and added that he would be "king of the country" when he was acquitted.
Mr O'Brien said the case was the "most interesting murder case going on at the moment".
Asked by Mr Edwards if he was "good with dates", Mr O'Brien responded by saying that he wouldn't use the words "good with dates". Asked what words he would use, Mr O'Brien said he would say he was "marvellous" or "spectacular" at dates.
Mr Edwards suggested to the defendant that his "ability to function is as good as most people's".
Mr O'Brien responded by saying: "I always keep a watch."
The jury previously heard that Mr O'Brien and the deceased were allegedly associates who drank cider together occasionally at different locations in Tralee town.
After having been missing for three days, Mr Healy's body was found on waste ground near a factory off the Monavalley Road in Tralee.
The State Pathologist, Prof John Harbison, previously told the court how Mr Healy had had 13 of his teeth knocked out, pieces of his jaw dislodged and had 20 head injuries. He later found 3 1/2 of Mr Healy's teeth lodged in his windpipe and lungs.
Prof Harbison said he believed the teeth were inhaled, causing suffocation. Cause of death was as a result of suffocation, head injuries and shock.
The trial, before Mr Justice Kinlen and a jury of eight women and four men, continues today.