Cook County prosecutors rested their case against Joseph Biedermann Wednesday following detailed testimony from a Cook County medical examiner describing the wounds sustained by his neighbor Terrance Hauser, who authorities say Biedermann murdered during the early morning hours of March 5, 2008.
Biedermann, 30, claimed he acted in self-defense after Hauser attempted to sexually assault and physically attack him at Hauser's home in the Barrington Lakes Apartment Complex in the 2200 block of Hassell Road, Hoffman Estates. Biedermann lived in the same complex at the time.
Ponni Arunkumar, a Cook County assistant medical examiner, described to the jury the 61 stab wounds the 38-year-old Hauser sustained.
She also noted significant injury to Hauser's jugular vein, lungs, liver, pancreas, renal artery, kidneys, spine and abdominal aorta, which is one of the main blood suppliers in the body. Arunkumar testified that any of these injuries could have caused death.
Defense attorney Sam Adam Jr. pointed out, with Arunkumar's agreement, that injuries to Hauser's hands and arms could be consistent with a struggle.
"You cannot tell us who was the aggressor and who was the victim," Adam said.
"I can only testify to the injuries," Arunkumar said.
Barry Adams, forensic expert with the Northeastern Illinois Regional Crime Lab, testified there were eight fingerprints from Biedermann's right hand on the dagger. The lab did not find any of Hauser's prints on the weapon. The prints ranged from the tip to the top of the blade, although no fingerprints were recovered from the handle. Adams testified it did not appear the weapon was pulled from Biedermann's hands at any time because there were no smudged prints. In his cross-examination, Adam explained that Adams cannot tell when Biedermann handled the weapon or what the circumstances were.
Another Northeastern Illinois Regional Crime Lab expert, Kelly Lawren, testified that Biedermann's blood was found on a pair of size seven shoes. Hauser's and Biedermann's blood was found on Biedermann's jeans, with majority of the blood coming from Hauser.
Earlier, photos taken by police after Biedermann's arrest showed cuts on both forearms.
Gregory Taylor of the Park Ridge Police, who assisted at the crime scene as a member of the Major Case Assistance Team, testified that upon entering Biedermann's apartment, he found the jeans and shoes, along with bloody socks and other clothes, in bowls of water.
Authorities say the men met for the first time at a neighborhood bar several hours before the incident. Toxicology reports indicated Hauser had a blood-alcohol content of 0.277 and Biedermann had a BAC of 0.226.
The defense will began calling its witnesses and presenting its evidence this morning in Rolling Meadows courtroom 109.
Biedermann, 30, claimed he acted in self-defense after Hauser attempted to sexually assault and physically attack him at Hauser's home in the Barrington Lakes Apartment Complex in the 2200 block of Hassell Road, Hoffman Estates. Biedermann lived in the same complex at the time.
Ponni Arunkumar, a Cook County assistant medical examiner, described to the jury the 61 stab wounds the 38-year-old Hauser sustained.
She also noted significant injury to Hauser's jugular vein, lungs, liver, pancreas, renal artery, kidneys, spine and abdominal aorta, which is one of the main blood suppliers in the body. Arunkumar testified that any of these injuries could have caused death.
Defense attorney Sam Adam Jr. pointed out, with Arunkumar's agreement, that injuries to Hauser's hands and arms could be consistent with a struggle.
"You cannot tell us who was the aggressor and who was the victim," Adam said.
"I can only testify to the injuries," Arunkumar said.
Barry Adams, forensic expert with the Northeastern Illinois Regional Crime Lab, testified there were eight fingerprints from Biedermann's right hand on the dagger. The lab did not find any of Hauser's prints on the weapon. The prints ranged from the tip to the top of the blade, although no fingerprints were recovered from the handle. Adams testified it did not appear the weapon was pulled from Biedermann's hands at any time because there were no smudged prints. In his cross-examination, Adam explained that Adams cannot tell when Biedermann handled the weapon or what the circumstances were.
Another Northeastern Illinois Regional Crime Lab expert, Kelly Lawren, testified that Biedermann's blood was found on a pair of size seven shoes. Hauser's and Biedermann's blood was found on Biedermann's jeans, with majority of the blood coming from Hauser.
Earlier, photos taken by police after Biedermann's arrest showed cuts on both forearms.
Gregory Taylor of the Park Ridge Police, who assisted at the crime scene as a member of the Major Case Assistance Team, testified that upon entering Biedermann's apartment, he found the jeans and shoes, along with bloody socks and other clothes, in bowls of water.
Authorities say the men met for the first time at a neighborhood bar several hours before the incident. Toxicology reports indicated Hauser had a blood-alcohol content of 0.277 and Biedermann had a BAC of 0.226.
The defense will began calling its witnesses and presenting its evidence this morning in Rolling Meadows courtroom 109.