BOSTON -- The second day of the accused Boston Marathon bomber's criminal trial was dominated by testimony from victims who lost limbs, and witnesses who saw people killed and maimed by the blasts.
The emotional narratives culminated with William Richard's meticulous and plainspoken recollection of his family's annual outing to the marathon in 2013. The trip from their Dorchester home resulted in his 8-year-old son Martin's death, his 6-year-old daughter Jane's loss of a leg, and the partial blinding of his wife Denise.
"I saw a little boy who had his body severely damaged by an explosion. I just knew from what I saw there was no chance" he'd survive, Richard told a federal jury about the bomb that exploded on crowded Boylston Street. "I knew in my head that I needed to act quickly or we might not only lose Martin, but we might lose Jane, too."
The bomb injured Richard too, embedding shrapnel in his leg and causing partial hearing loss. But he downplayed his own wounds.
"I can still hear music," he said. "I can still hear the beautiful voices of my family."
The steady testimony from Richard visibly affected some jurors, according to a Boston Herald reporter seated in the courtroom.
Martin Richard was one of three people killed on April 15, 2013, by two bombs set off by admitted attacker Dzhokhar Tsarnaev, 21, and his now-deceased brother, Tamerlan Tsarnaev, 26. The bombs injured 264 people.
Martin Richard, Krystle Campbell and Lingzi Lu
Krystle Campbell, 29, and Lingzi Lu, a 23-year-old Boston University student, also died in the attack. A police officer testified Thursday about performing CPR on Campbell. The day before, Karen McWatters testified about holding her dying friend's hand. A Boston police officer told jurors that she stayed with Lu until a higher ranking cop ordered her to move to a more secure location.
Prosecutors again paired the testimony of amputees and other bombing survivors with graphic photos of mangled and bloody stumps.
"One thing the prosecution does not want to do is desensitize the jury," said Karen Loor, a Boston University associate professor of law. Based on jurors' reactions thus far, that hasn't happened, she said.
The defense didn't cross-examine victims and other witnesses who testified Thursday.
"It’s wise to not really cross-examine a victim of a violent, heinous crime, especially if they don't take issues with the facts," said Loor.
Tsarnaev's lead attorney, Judy Clarke, has already admitted he's at fault for the attack. Tsarnaev, however has pleaded not guilty to his 30-count indictment. He faces the death penalty if he's convicted of any of 17 charges.
A man who lost both legs in the attack, Jeff Bauman, was the first to testify that a stranger he'd noticed at the marathon was Tamerlan Tsarnaev. What made Tamerlan memorable was his peculiar behavior among the festive crowd, Bauman said.
"He didn’t look like anybody who was there," said Bauman. "He was alone. He wasn't watching the race. It didn't look like he was having fun. It was odd."
Bauman features prominently in an enduring photograph from the bombing. Dazed and dirty, he sits in a wheelchair that's guided through the street by a police officer, a man in a cowboy hat and a woman.
In his testimony, Bauman said he a saw backpack left on the street that he believes Tamerlan had been carrying. But then Tamerlan was nowhere to be seen, said Bauman, and moments later there was an explosion.
"I just thought it was weird. Like when you’re at the airport when you see any unattended luggage, you notify authorities. That was kind in the back of my head. "
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
It's Another Trump-Biden Showdown — And We Need Your Help
The Future Of Democracy Is At Stake
Our 2024 Coverage Needs You
Your Loyalty Means The World To Us
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
The 2024 election is heating up, and women's rights, health care, voting rights, and the very future of democracy are all at stake. Donald Trump will face Joe Biden in the most consequential vote of our time. And HuffPost will be there, covering every twist and turn. America's future hangs in the balance. Would you consider contributing to support our journalism and keep it free for all during this critical season?
HuffPost believes news should be accessible to everyone, regardless of their ability to pay for it. We rely on readers like you to help fund our work. Any contribution you can make — even as little as $2 — goes directly toward supporting the impactful journalism that we will continue to produce this year. Thank you for being part of our story.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
It's official: Donald Trump will face Joe Biden this fall in the presidential election. As we face the most consequential presidential election of our time, HuffPost is committed to bringing you up-to-date, accurate news about the 2024 race. While other outlets have retreated behind paywalls, you can trust our news will stay free.
But we can't do it without your help. Reader funding is one of the key ways we support our newsroom. Would you consider making a donation to help fund our news during this critical time? Your contributions are vital to supporting a free press.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our journalism free and accessible to all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
As Americans head to the polls in 2024, the very future of our country is at stake. At HuffPost, we believe that a free press is critical to creating well-informed voters. That's why our journalism is free for everyone, even though other newsrooms retreat behind expensive paywalls.
Our journalists will continue to cover the twists and turns during this historic presidential election. With your help, we'll bring you hard-hitting investigations, well-researched analysis and timely takes you can't find elsewhere. Reporting in this current political climate is a responsibility we do not take lightly, and we thank you for your support.
Contribute as little as $2 to keep our news free for all.
Can't afford to donate? Support HuffPost by creating a free account and log in while you read.
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. Would you consider becoming a regular HuffPost contributor?
Dear HuffPost Reader
Thank you for your past contribution to HuffPost. We are sincerely grateful for readers like you who help us ensure that we can keep our journalism free for everyone.
The stakes are high this year, and our 2024 coverage could use continued support. If circumstances have changed since you last contributed, we hope you'll consider contributing to HuffPost once more.
Support HuffPostAlready contributed? Log in to hide these messages.