SEATTLE — Quick Facts:
- Joe McEnroe convicted of 6 counts of aggravated murder
- He's testifying during the penalty phase of trial which will decide death penalty or life in prison
- Defense claims McEnroe's girlfriend forced him to kill her family; using journal to establish that claim
- McEnroe says girlfriend was "most dangerous one."
Convicted killer Joe McEnroe broke down and cried, grabbing his head in his hands. He took the stand for a second time Monday. During the three-month trial, this was the first time McEnroe showed any emotion. His outburst happened as he talked about killing Judy Anderson and looking at her face.
"Then she wasn't moving anymore and I went over to her, told her i was sorry and shot her in the head," said McEnroe, who was already convicted of six counts of aggravated first-degree murder.
McEnroe is testifying during the penalty phase of his trial. The same jury that convicted him of killing six of his girlfriend's family members in Carnation will decide if he is sentenced to the death penalty or life in prison.
McEnroe spoke about his girlfriend, Michele Anderson, who will go on trial for the 2007 killings this fall.
The couple kept a notebook of notes written to one another.
"Joe, I love you so much," McEnroe read in an excerpt. Another said, "My family has betrayed me -- she's all I have," he read, referring to Anderson.
McEnroe said he bought the gun used to kill Anderson's family when they lived at an apartment in Kent because he was concerned about safety.
McEnroe's defense says Anderson made McEnroe kill her family, and is using the journal to establish that premise.
"(Michele would) lash back as hard as possible, to make sure whatever mistake you made, you didn't do it again," he testified. "We both knew damn well between her and me that she was the most dangerous one."
McEnroe says his self-worth was tied up in what Anderson thought of him.
He said though he and Anderson talked about killing people, they bought the guns for self-defense, and the only time they were fired before the murders was in a ravine near Anderson's parents' house, to test them.
"I would really consider shooting myself. One reason I didn't -- it would have made a huge mess," said McEnroe.
McEnroe talked about making a silencer for Michele, because she asked for one.
Defense attorney Bill Prestia peppered McEnroe with questions.
"What did you do to try and stop this Joe?" questioned Bill Prestia.
"I tried everything I could," answered McEnroe.
"Why not walk out the door and leave?" asked Prestia.
"I couldn't," replied McEnroe.
"Why not shoot Michele, my goodness," asked Prestia.
"I don't mean to make her sound like this monstrous person," said McEnroe.
He continued to blame Michele Anderson for the murders, saying he tried to talk her out of it.
McEnroe told the jury he never planned to do any of the shooting, he was there to protect Michele. He also said he didn't think he would live through the shooting, he "prepared to die," sure that he would be killed too.
The defense walked through the horrific details, knowing the prosecutor will get to cross-examine later this week.
On Tuesday, McEnroe's mother and siblings are scheduled to testify. They will support the defense case that the jury should show leniency and sentence McEnroe to life in prison, not the death penalty.
KIRO
