Overview
- Burns, 55, has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity to the murder of Miriam Burns, 75, at her Killarney home between 12 and 15 August 2022.
- Prosecutors say Ms Burns died from asphyxia due to manual strangulation with blunt force head trauma and allege the accused tried to destroy evidence by setting fires near Ross Castle.
- The defence has entered formal admissions that Burns caused his mother's death and accepts the State Pathologist's findings of extensive injuries, but argues he lacked understanding and control due to serious mental illness.
- Both sides agree he was in a manic or hypomanic state, with the prosecution maintaining he knew what he was doing and the defence asserting he did not know it was wrong and could not refrain.
- The jury has been told it may consider verdicts including not guilty by reason of insanity or manslaughter by diminished responsibility, with evidence to cover his movements, alleged row on 12 August, and subsequent arrests in August 2022 and February 2023.