The initial photos, displayed Wednesday only to the jury, showed Hawke-Petit, who was raped, strangled and burned beyond recognition in what was once the family's beautiful Cheshire, Conn., home three years ago.
The second set of images depicted daughter Hayley, 17, stretched out on the floor on the second-floor landing at the top of the stairs. She had freed herself from her bondage and was apparently trying to save her little sister Michaela, 11, when she was overcome by smoke.
But the pictures that caused several jurors to break down in tears were of Michaela in her pajamas, tied at the wrists to her bed, her lower torso partially off the bed.
Men and women alike were overcome. The few who did not cry grimly stretched their lips.
Following the viewing of the photos, Judge Jon Blue said that, because of the "harrowing experience," jurors could go home for the day and court let out early.
On trial is Steven Hayes, named as one of the two alleged attackers. The guilt phase of Hayes' murder trial was expected to last four weeks. If he is convicted of any of six capital felonies in the indictment against him, the trial will be followed by a penalty phase to determine if he will be put to death by lethal injection under Connecticut’s death penalty law.
No comments:
Post a Comment