The jury in the trial of 62-year-old Co Mayo farmer Padraig Nally for the manslaughter of John Ward has been sent to a hotel for the night.
They will resume their deliberations in the morning.
Earlier at the Central Criminal Court, prosecuting counsel Paul O'Higgins SC told the jury that they could only find Mr Nally innocent of manslaughter if they believed that he had killed John Ward in self defence, and that judged objectively he had used no more force than was reasonably necessary to protect his own life.
He said Mr Nally's defence that he killed Mr Ward because he was in fear of his life did not stand up from beginning to end.
The court also heard evidence from a consultant psychiatrist at University College Hospital Galway.
Dr Sheila O'Sullivan said Mr Ward had been a patient at the hospital.
She said the father-of-eleven had told doctors at the hospital that he had been involved in fighting from a very young age.
He had a history of bare-knuckled boxing and had seriously injured people.
He was paranoid and afraid and thought he might attack someone before they attacked him.
Dr O'Sullivan said John Ward was looking for help from the hospital to deal with his aggression and had complied with advice from doctors.
Mr Nally has pleaded not guilty to the manslaughter of Mr Ward on 14 October 2004.
