In 2007, the lives of Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her two daughters, Hayley and Michaela were in the hands of Steven Hayes and his alleged accomplice, Joshua Komisarjevsky (awaiting trial). Today, Mr. Hayes sits in a courtroom in New Haven, Ct. as a jury holds his life in theirs.

It has no doubt been a horrifying three years for Dr. William Petit, who was in the house as his immediate family was tortured and killed. Dr. Petit was not in the court room this morning.
Closing arguments from both sides on Thursday were quite dramatic. Defense Attorney Thomas Ullman had Hayes rise to his feet in front of the jury, saying that the convicted felon is not a “rabid dog.” The prosecution ended their closing arguments by holding a manila folder containing graphic images of the aftermath from the 2007 home invasion showing the Petit girls charred bodies, while a photo of the three wearing sundresses and smiles was projected onto a screen. The prosecutor then saying, “this is how the girls once were,” and “this is how he left them.”
Judge Jon Blue spent over an hour on Thursday going over the 36-page charge to the jury, including the six counts of capital punishment charges facing the 44 year old.
If anything is not done 100-percent correctly, a mistrial could be called, so it is important to get right.
Hayes lost almost 80 lbs. since his original mugshot was taken, and looks, as Jennifer’s sister Cynthia Hawke-Renn put it, “like a sad soul.”
This morning, the jury begins deliberation. It may be hours or it may be weeks until the knock on the wooden door of the jury room; but Cynthia tells us, “I feel like this is just like a bit of relief” being in “the final stage.”