AUBURN – The murder trial of a Lewiston man who says he was molested repeatedly by his father years before he shot him to death during his 65th birthday party went to the jury Thursday.

Jurors in Androscoggin County Superior Court deliberated the fate of Scott Poirier for about an hour before being sent home for the night. The panel will resume its work today.

Justice Joyce Wheeler said the jury could come back with one of three verdicts: guilty of murder, guilty of manslaughter or not guilty.

Poirier’s attorney did not dispute that the defendant used a hunting rifle to shoot Roland Poirier through a French door window on Nov. 8, 2006, as the victim celebrated his birthday with other family members at his Lewiston home.

Instead, the trial focused in large part on Scott Poirier’s state of mind. Defense attorney Steven Peterson contended that Poirier, who was suicidal and abusing alcohol before the shooting, lacked criminal intent and was not criminally responsible for his actions.

Assistant Attorney General Lisa Marchese acknowledged that Roland Poirier was not a likable person but told jurors he was not the one on trial.

Marchese said that no matter how rotten the victim was, Scott Poirier “had no right to be judge, jury and executioner.”

Family members backed Scott Poirier’s story of being repeatedly molested by his father as a teenager, but jurors were not allowed to hear from them. Wheeler ruled that none of Roland Poirier’s alleged sexual abuse victims would be permitted to testify.

A brother and a nephew told reporters that they, too, were sexually abused for years by Poirier. About a dozen family members gathered outside the courthouse Wednesday to show support for Scott Poirier.

Maurice “Moe” Poirier of Lewiston said he was 6 years old when his brother started molesting him. He never went public with his story until Wednesday, he said.

“Scott’s telling the truth,” he said. “I’m tired of lies.”

Gerard Galipeau Jr., Roland Poirier’s nephew, said he was 8 when his uncle started abusing him. The abuse ended when, at age 16, he pointed a gun at Roland Poirier.

“I’ve been in prison all my life right here,” Galipeau said, pointing to his head, “just like Scotty is. It’s not right. It’s not right at all.”

If Scott Poirier hadn’t killed his father, more boys would have been molested, Maurice Poirier said. “The era has ended, and I’m glad it has ended because I think it would have continued, and there was no stopping,” he said.

The defense sought unsuccessfully to have Maurice Poirier and Galipeau testify about the abuse, but the prosecution argued that defendant wasn’t aware of the abuse suffered by others.