Murder Accused Guilty Of Manslaughter

A jury has found two brothers who attacked a 30-year old man in Killarney two years ago not guilty of murder - but guilty of manslaughter.

After a unanimous verdict, Shane and Gerard O'Riordan were ruled not to have murdered James Brazier's but to be guilty of his manslaughter.

One accused, 19-year-old Shane O'Riordan of Arbutus Grove in Killarney had admitted stabbing James Brazier 12 times while his 25-year-old brother Gerard admitted beating Mr Brazier with a chair.

Mr Brazier died at Kerry General Hospital in Tralee in the early hours of 15 April 2007.

He had been attacked as he slept at a house at Pinewood in Killarney and he died from the injuries he sustained in that attack.

The State had argued that Shane and Gerard O'Riordan were both guilty of murder because they were both acting together.

Shane O'Riordan told gardaí he flew into a rage and began attacking Mr Brazier with a knife he found on a bedside locker after he and his brother had gone to the house where Mr Brazier was staying.

However, Shane's counsel, Patrick McEntee, argued that manslaughter would be the appropriate verdict in his case, because he had clearly lost control and was in a frenzy during the attack.

Sentences are yet to be decided.

(BMcC/JM)