Northampton County District Attorney John Morganelli opted not to present a jailhouse witness to the jury hearing testimony in the penalty hearings for Michael Eric Ballard.
Ballard pleaded guilty to killing 39-year-old Denise Merhi, her father, grandfather and a neighbor in Northampton last summer. Investigator described a gruesome scene in which the victims were repeatedly stabbed and 87-year-old Alvin Marsh had his throat cut as he sat in a wheelchair.
Prosecutors rested their case Thursday morning. The defense presents witnesses next.
