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Petit Family murders. trial coverage, warning! graphic evidence photos.
#25
this is it until monday. they'll probably have hayes on a suicide watch until then.

NEW HAVEN — Testimony in the Steven Hayes case has adjourned for the day after his attorney expressed concern for his medical condition.

One of Hayes' attorneys, Thomas J. Ullmann, said at the start of today's session that Hayes had a seizure last night and urinated all over himself. However, he said he believed that Hayes was well enough to be in court. However, after the lunch break, he said he did not think Hayes' could continue because of his medical condition.

Judge Jon C. Blue agreed to halt proceedings until Monday. Friday had aleady been scheduled as a day off.

Ullmann said he thought Wednesday's testimony may have "triggered" the seizure. That testimony centered on the horrifying details of July 23, 2007, when emergency workers discovered the bodies of Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her two daughters, Hayley, 17, and Michaela, 11, in their burned-out Cheshire home.

Hayes, 47, could face the death penalty if convicted.

During morning testimony, state police Sgt. Karen Gabianelli testified that investigators found three bulky Bank of America envelopes in a beach bag inside the getaway vehicle used to flee the Petit home. The vehicle belonged to the Petits.

Inside the envelopes, she said, was $15,000 —three bundles of $5,000 each — zip ties, a wool facemask, and Latex gloves.

The money was returned to the bank, and detectives tried but were unable to get fingerprints off the envelopes.

Gabianelli said Hayes was in the passenger seat and Komisarjevsky was in the driver's seat.

Also found was a cell phone belonging to Komisarjevsky. Gabianelli said she tried to get voicemail messages from the phone but the account was "shut down for non-payment." The phone company said they could not retrieve those messages.

Another vehicle was searched, a red Chevy van belonging to Jude Komisarjevsky, Joshua's mother.

Ash-Covered Bedroom

Testimony this morning turned to Hayley's second-floor bedroom. Photos displayed in court showed the once busy, colorful room was now covered in soot and ash.

Gabianelli focused her search for evidence on Hayley's ash-covered double bed. There, she removed nylon ties and rope from the bedposts.

She said police believed the ties were used as restraints. Also in Hayley's bedroom, a police dog trained to hit on accelerants identified a spot there.

The police dog also indicated a flammable material may have been poured on the floor of Michaela's room.

Hayley's body was found at the top of stairs leading from the first to the second floor. Michaela's body was found in her bedroom, with her wrists bound and tied to her bed. Hawke-Petit's body was found on the first floor.

At the end of Michaela's daybed, there was a 36-inch piece of rope tied to a post. "We believe it was used as a restraint for Michaela," Gabianelli said.

And on an ottoman, near stuffed animals, there was 11 feet of rope. A baseball bat was found in her room.

Inside the Petit's ransacked master bedroom, an open jewelry box lay on the bed.

"It looked like it had been gone through pretty good," Gabianelli said.

Clothes littered the closet and all the drawers to the furniture were either removed or ajar, she said.

A cord to the telephone was disconnected.

Gabianelli also testified that she found a blue and yellow scarf tied to the bedposts and a 42-inch rope laying on top of a family photo collage.

















































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RE: Petit Family murders. trial coverage, evidence photos. - by Lady Cop - 09-16-2010, 02:47 PM