Accused of murder, he claims shot that killed child's aunt was an accident
LOCATION. SO MAKE SURE TO HAVE
THOSE NOTIFICATIONS TURNED ON.
>> NOW TO SOME BREAKING
DEVELOPMENTS IN THE LAST 20
MINUTES. THE DEFENSE RESTED IN
A CUSTODY BATTLE MURDER TRIAL.
>> FOR THE FIRST TIME TODAY,
THE MAN ACCUSED IN THIS CASE
TOOK THE STAND IN HIS OWN
DEFENSE IS DORIAN THOMAS.
HE BECAME VERY EMOTIONAL AS
HE GAVE TESTIMONY TODAY.
HE'S ACCUSED OF MURDERING HIS
CHILD'S AUNT. EMILY STEINHOFF
ALSO TODAY, NEW VIDEO OF
STEINHOFF FINAL MOMENTS WERE
PLAYED IN COURT WRAL'S CARLY
HAYNES JOINING US NOW LIVE AT
THE JOHNSON COUNTY COURTHOUSE.
CARLY, YOU SAW THAT NEW VIDEO
OF THE DEADLY SHOOTING.
>> PRIOR TO THAT, IT SHOWED A
HEATED EXCHANGE BETWEEN THOMAS
AND HIS ACTS. NOW DORIAN THOMAS
TOOK THE STAND FOR ABOUT 6
HOURS TODAY. WE ALSO LEARNED
THAT EMILY STEINHOFF DIED JUST
A DAY BEFORE A CUSTODY CASE WAS
SET TO BEGIN.
>> YOU NEED A LEADING IT OFF MY
PROPERTY. THE CHAOS OF EMILY
STEINHOFF THE LAST MOMENTS
CAPTURED ON CELLPHONE VIDEO.
AND THOMAS TESTIFIED IN HIS
DEFENSE FOR THE FIRST TIME
ACCUSED OF MURDERING STEINHOFF.
HIS CHILD'S ART. TALLEST CHOKED
UP WITH HIS HEAD IN HIS HAND AS
9-1-1 CALLS PLAYED OUT IN
COURT. THAT WOULD NOT DO
GUNFIRE.
>> LAST MARCH STEINHOFF WENT
WITH HER SISTER HILLARY
LOMBARDI TO PICK UP THE BABY
LOMBARDI AND THOMAS SHARE
THOMAS TESTIFIED THAT LOMBARDI
HAD PREVIOUSLY THREATENED HIM.
>> SENATOR HELLS ANGELS,
FRIENDS WOULD HAVE ME AND HAVE
OFFERED TO ASSASSINATE ME.
>> HE CLAIMED TO HAVE ALREADY
ARRIVED VIOLENTLY TO HIS DOOR
THE NIGHT IN THE CUSTODY
EXCHANGE. IT WAS JUST.
AND BETTY BROUGHT A GUN TO THE
DOOR, NOT KNOWING WHO LOMBARDI
WAS WITH IN A DEMONSTRATION
FOR THE JURY, GRABBED MY RIGHT
HAND. AND FAR ALL THOMAS SAID
LOMBARDI GOT A HOLD OF HIS GUN
DURING A SCUFFLE AND A FATAL
HAVE ABSOLUTELY NOT.
>> NOT.
>> AND NOW THE STATE BEGAN
CROSS-EXAMINING THOMAS AS WELL
ARGUING THAT WHILE THE DEFENSE
CLAIMS LOMBARDI INSTIGATED
THIS, THAT THOMAS HIMSELF HAD
A TEMPER CLOSING ARGUMENTS WILL
BEGIN TOMORROW AFTERNOON.