By Andy Furillo
afurillo@sacbee.com
The penalty phase of Aaron Norman Dunn's murder trial resumed today with defense attorneys telling the life story of a man abandoned by his father then by his wife and whose life then unraveled before he took off on a murder spree four years ago in Elk Grove.
Defense attorney Hayes Gable III said Dunn, 33, turned to drugs and drinking after his father left the family when the defendant was about 12 years old.
Dunn, convicted last week in the murder of two men in the March 25, 2006, spree killings in Elk Grove, lived a relatively normal life when he reached adulthood, but it fell apart when his wife left him for Internet romance, Gable said in his opening statement to the jury for the penalty phase.
Dunn's lawyers said he was in the midst of a methamphetamine-induced psychosis when he shot and killed Jon Johnson, 46, and Michael John Daly, 45, while the two men were each having nights out with their families.
Gable called two witnesses before the jury broke for lunch. One of them, a childhood friend named Christoph Hangartner, testified that Dunn was left with a "pretty lenient" mother when the defendant's father told the family he was gay and left their Marysville residence.
"We could get away with a lot of stuff there," at Dunn's house, once his father left, Hangartner testified. "Drinking, smoking weed, things of that nature."
Hangartner testified that he, Dunn and the defendant's younger brother had all begun using methamphetamine by the time they were in their early teens.
The defense case is expected to take up the afternoon session in front of Sacramento Superior Court Judge Michael W. Sweet and probably will run into tomorrow.
At the outset of today's session. Deputy District Attorney Scott Triplett told Sweet outside the presence of the jury that Dunn got in a fight in the downtown jail last week with a man who is facing murder charges. Triplett said he intends to present evidence of the fight as rebuttal evidence once the defense is finished with its case.
Jurors will then be asked to decide whether Dunn should be punished by the death penalty or life in prison with no chance of parole.
Call The Bee's Andy Furillo, (916) 321-1141.
Previous coverage:
Victims' relatives tell of pain, loss at killer's sentencing hearing - April 23, 2010
Jury convicts man of gunning down 2 in Elk Grove - April 14, 2010
Jury deliberating fate of double-murder defendant Aaron Norman Dunn - April 13, 2010
Prosecutor, doctor spar over Elk Grove murder defendant's actions - April 8, 2010
Prosecutor eager to attack psychiatrist in Elk Grove shooting spree trial - April 7, 2010
Meth psychosis cited in killings; defendant's words cast doubt - April 6, 2010
Elk Grove cop testifies how she and partner stopped deadly rampage - March 17, 2010
Witnesses tell of lives shattered in deadly Elk Grove shooting spree - March 12, 2010
Prosecutor, defense attorneys agree suspect killed two people in Elk Grove - March 10, 2010
Elk Grove residents eligible for murder case jury - Dec. 11, 2009
Prosecutor's bid for Placer DA could stall trial for double killing - Dec. 2, 2009
Homicide suspect's lawyers don't want any Elk Grove jurors - Aug. 11, 2009
About Comments
Reader comments on Sacbee.com are the opinions of the writer, not The Sacramento Bee. If you see an objectionable comment, click the "report abuse" button below it. We will delete comments containing inappropriate links, obscenities, hate speech, and personal attacks. Flagrant or repeat violators will be banned. See more about comments here.