The grim litany of abuse continued in federal court Wednesday as defense lawyers for Naeem Williams sought to show that his daughter, Talia, 5, also suffered greatly at the hands of her stepmother.
Williams, 34, a former Army specialist, is on trial for capital murder for the July 16, 2005, beating death of his daughter. He is facing the death penalty for causing the death of a child through abuse or as part of a practice and pattern of abuse and torture.
His lawyers have an interest in eliciting as much detail about the abuse Delilah Williams handed out since they hope to convince the jury that it was not the blow that Naeem delivered to Talia that caused the girl’s death.
They have attempted to introduce evidence of Delilah’s temper and threats to others and that it was she, not Naeem, who was the boss in the marriage.
At their request Wednesday, Delilah re-enacted the stomping she gave to Talia 17 days before she died.
She braced herself with her hands on a table, stood on her left foot and moved her right foot up and down.
She told the jurors she stomped on Talia’s stomach and side "about eight or so" times on June 29, 2005, "even holding my foot down." She said she used "as much force to stomp down on Talia" that her 5-foot-7, 200-pound frame allowed and stopped only after hearing or feeling "something cracking under my foot."
Delilah testified Friday that a stomp on Talia’s stomach caused her stepdaughter to defecate. So she put Talia on the toilet and pushed on Talia’s stomach with her hands.
When Talia resisted, she pushed harder, breaking the toilet. That got her even more angry so she pulled Talia up by the hair and slammed the girl’s head against the wall.
She testified that Talia’s head left a dent and some hair on the wall.
Delilah completed her trial testimony by noon Wednesday, satisfying her obligation under the terms of her plea agreement with federal prosecutors.
Delilah, 30, has testified that it was her husband who delivered the fatal blow to Talia. She pleaded guilty in December 2006 for contributing to the death of her stepdaughter in exchange for a 20-year prison term.
She had been facing a life term.
Defense lawyer John Philipsborn told U.S. District Judge J. Michael Seabright that he may recall Delilah to the witness stand before sending the case to the jury and will definitely want her to testify in the penalty phase of the trial should the jurors find her husband guilty.
Delilah is not obligated to testify in the penalty phase.
Assistant U.S. Attorney Steven Mellin told Seabright that the government does not object to Delilah testifying in the penalty phase.
