A court has heard that the man accused of murdering Detective Garda Colm Horkan claimed that he had been attacked by him and said: "With all that's going on with the police in this world, I shot him."
In the Central Criminal Court today, Prosecution Senior Counsel Michael Delaney opened the trial before the jury of seven men and five women.
Motorbike mechanic Stephen Silver, from Aughavard, Foxford, Co Mayo, has pleaded not guilty to the murder of Det Garda Horkan.
But the 46-year-old has pleaded guilty to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility.
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The court heard that on the night of the killing, June 17, 2020, Mr Silver told gardai: "That man tried to attack me. With all that's going on with the police in this world, I shot him."
He also said something about Black Lives Matter, which counsel said may have been reference to the killing of George Floyd in America less than a month beforehand.
Mr Delaney told the jury that they have to decide if the accused was ill disposed towards the gardai at the time of the killing and if it manifested in his actions during the day and what he did in course of the incident with Det Gda Horkan.
The court also heard that Det Gda Horkan suffered 11 gunshot wounds and they were fired from his official standard issued firearm.
The case continues before Mr Justice Paul McDermott.
It is expected that the trial could last up to seven weeks and over 100 witnesses may be called to give evidence.
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