One of the four men charged with the murder of Limerick nightclub doorman, Brian Fitzgerald, has been found not guilty.
At the Central Criminal Court sitting in Cloverhill, Mr Justice Peter Charleton directed the jury to aquit John Dundon from Ballincurra, Weston, Co Limerick, of murdering Brian Fitzgerald.
He told them he had reached his conclusion after considering legal submissions from barrister Barry Mc Donnell.
The 27-year-old man has now been discharged.
Mr Justice Charleton told the jury that there was no evidence against John Dundon.
He referred to the testimony of the chief prosecution witness James Martin Cahill.
Mr Cahill has been convicted of killing Brian Fitzgerald and is currently serving a life sentence for the murder.
During his evidence Cahill told the court that he did not remember John Dundon being present when Brian Fitzgerald was pointed out at his place of work or at a visit to the victim's house before the murder.
The judge told the 12 man jury that the acquittal of John Dundon did not affect the trials of the other three men charged with Brian Fitzgerald's murder.
The three men who remain on trial for the murder are Gary Campion of Moyross, Dessie Dundon from Ballinacurra, Weston in Limerick city, and Anthony Kelly (50), with an address at Kilrush, Co Clare.
In the early hours of 29 November 2002, Brian Fitzgerald returned home from work at the Docs Nightclub in Limerick.
He was confronted by a gunman in the driveway of his Corbally home.
The gunman chased Mr Fitzgerald and shot and killed him in a neighbour's garden.
