The jury in the Catherine Nevin murder trial has gone back to their hotel for the third night. They will resume their deliberations in the Central Criminal Court at 10am tomorrow morning. Since Friday afternoon, they have spent over 15 hours isolated in their jury room. Earlier today, Miss Justice Carroll told them that they could return a majority verdict. Catherine Nevin is charged with the murder of her husband Tom Nevin and with soliciting three men to murder him. The 49-year-old widow denies all the charges.
A quiet Sunday morning in South Dublin and Catherine Nevin left home for the 40th day of her trial. A short drive to the Central Criminal Court, where she again took her seat opposite the jury box and spent the day surrounded by loved ones. The jury returned from their hotel at eleven o'clock and went back to work. An hour later, they told Miss Justice Carroll they had not reached a unanimous verdict on any of the charges facing Mrs Nevin. She then told them they could return a majority verdict of ten two or eleven one.
She also explained to them that any juror who does not find Catherine Nevin guilty on any one of the soliciting charges cannot vote for a guilty verdict on the murder charge. They took an hour's break for lunch and then went back to their jury room for another 4½ hours. At half past six, Miss Justice Carroll told them that as long as they were deliberating usefully she would send them back to their hotel at seven o clock, and that is what happened.
Crowds poured into court number four today, the public gallery was packed to capacity and, by late evening, the body of the courtroom was becoming dangerously overcrowded. Gardaí were forced to control the numbers anxious to observe the moment a verdict might be delivered. So, tonight the jury are back in their hotel rooms and it was back home again for Catherine Nevin, who was no doubt wondering like everyone else what significance to place on the amount of time and days this jury is giving to their deliberations.
