Prosecution Rests Case In Penalty Phase Of Tsarnaev Trial
BOSTON (CBS) - The image of three-year-old Leo Woolfenden being rescued after the second bomb went off appeared before jurors during day three of the sentencing phase of Dzhokhar Tsarnaev's federal trial. His father, Steven, told the jury, "I was completely terrified because I didn't know if I was ever going to see my son again."
Woolfenden's leg was blown off at the scene, and he was left alone on the sidewalk in front of Forum Restaurant, waiting for help. At that moment, the Salem man testified, he turned to his side and saw a mother hovering over her little boy who Woolfenden said he could tell was dead or dying.
That woman was Denise Richard, and Woolfenden said she "was just pleading with her son. I heard 'Please' ... 'Martin'... many times. I didn't see a response."
Fearing his own son might die, Woolfenden reached out to another parent in distress.
Woolfenden testified: "I placed my hand on her back and Denise turned to me for a moment and asked me if I was OK. I said, 'Yes, I'm fine.'" With that, he said, she turned back to Martin.
For this first time, jurors heard audio of the scene in front of the Forum Restaurant. Prosecutors played the recording made by a woman who was there as jurors saw the same surveillance footage they have seen many times.
They also heard testimony from more survivors who were injured there.
Marc Fucarile told jurors how after his leg was blown onto Boylston Street, he managed to pick it up and hand it to a firefighter.
Survivor Heather Abbott, who also lost part of her leg, testified, "I felt as though my foot was on fire. I was in excruciating pain. It was extremely painful."
Prosecutors also laid out in front of the jury box a full-scale copy of the metal grate in front of Forum, to show how Dzhokhar Tsarnaev placed his bomb just three and a half feet behind Martin Richard.
Government prosecutors rested their case-in-chief against the convicted marathon bomber after calling 17 witnesses over three days. The defense team begins their case on Monday; once they finish, the government has a chance to make their rebuttal case.
