The jury in a defamation case taken by former Sinn Féin leader Gerry Adams will return to court tomorrow to continue its deliberation.
One juror who had a holiday booked since the beginning of the case was discharged by the judge earlier this afternoon.
Mr Adams claims he was defamed in a 2016 Spotlight programme and a subsequent online article, which he said falsely claimed that he sanctioned the killing of former senior Sinn Féin official Denis Donaldson.
Mr Donaldson was shot dead in Donegal in 2006, months after admitting being an informer for the police and MI5 over two decades.
The jury must decide if the words used in the programme and the article mean that Mr Adams had sanctioned the killing of Mr Donaldson or were presented only as an allegation, as argued by the BBC.
If it decides the words used meant he had sanctioned the killing, it must then decide if the BBC acted in good faith and if the broadcaster has proven its defence of fair and reasonable publication on a matter of public interest as provided for in Section 26 of the Defamation Act.
If the jury decides the programme was not fair and reasonable, as argued by the BBC, it may then go on to assess damages.
In doing so, the jury has been told it must assess what Mr Adams' reputation was in this jurisdiction in 2016, when the programme was broadcast.
Lawyers for Mr Adams said the programme was reckless journalism which was not carried out in good faith.
They said the unverified allegation based on a single anonymous source damaged his reputation.
The jury was told Mr Adams was known as a peacemaker who was instrumental in bringing about the Good Friday Agreement.
The jury was urged by Mr Adams' barristers to award damages of at least €200,000 for what was described by Mr Adams as a "grievous smear" and a "hatchet job".
The BBC said the claim was presented as an allegation and not a fact and was corroborated by five other sources including the security services.
They also said the programme was balanced by the inclusion of Mr Adams’ statement of denial.
They said the issue of how the IRA dealt with informers was of a matter of public interest.
The BBC also said the defamation case was a cynical attempt by Mr Adams to launder his reputation.
They said it had been claimed for decades that he had been a leading member of the IRA, he had never condemned IRA violence and therefore could not claim his reputation had been damaged.
They said the jury should not reach the stage of assessing damages, but if it did, any damages should be nominal.
Mr Justice Alex Owens has told the jury members they do not need to decide on the truth or otherwise of the allegation against Mr Adams in the programme.
The judge has told the jury they were not being asked to make an historical judgment on his role in the peace process.
The judge also told the jury that the view of Denis Donaldson’s family on "all of this" was irrelevant and the jury must also dismiss reports that Mr Adams had said if he was awarded any damages he would give the money to charity.
He also told the jury that the evidence of reporter Jennifer O'Leary was the most important in terms of assessing the defence of fair and reasonable publication.
