SEBRING - Testimony continues today in the trial of a Sebring woman charged with abusing the then 8-month-old child her husband fathered outside of the marriage.
Martha Lynn Giller, 46, is charged with first-degree aggravated child abuse. On Monday, a panel of four women and three men were picked to hear evidence in the case, which was scheduled for three days this week. One of the jurors will be excused at the end of testimony, leaving the remaining six to render a verdict.
The trial got under way Tuesday morning, as Assistant State Attorney Courtney Lenhart gave her opening statement. Attorney Catherine Combee elected to save her opening statement until the start of the defense's case.
Lenhart offered the jurors a road map, per se, as to where the testimony would lead.
She said witnesses would state that the child was born to Penny Pedrozo in June 2006 and that the father was Randolph Giller, the defendant's husband.
Pedrozo was working two jobs - one as a secretary in Randolph Giller's hearing aid store and the other as a server in a local restaurant - and needed help taking care of the infant, according to Lenhart.
Randolph Giller stepped in to assist with caring for the child, but it was the defendant who eventually took charge of the care, Lenhart said.
On the witness stand, Pedrozo testified that she wasn't concerned for the baby's safety because the Gillers had four other children of their own.
"I (would) try and block that thought from my mind because I never thought she would hurt mine because she had four of her own," Pedrozo said.
The arrest report said that, between Feb. 27 and Feb. 28, 2007, Martha Giller abused the child with her hands and a "possible unknown object."Brandy Giller was eventually taken to All Children's Hospital with what was diagnosed as Shaken Baby Syndrome, according to the report.
Martha Giller allegedly confessed to hurting the child in the presence of then Highlands County Sheriff's Det. Pete Barone, the report stated. Lenhart told the jury that taped confession would be played for them.
On Tuesday morning, jurors also watched the taped deposition of the defendant's 19-year-old daughter, Paige Giller, who was testifying for the prosecution.
The witness said she was watching baby Brandy on that late February day in 2007 when she discovered dime and quarter-sized bruises on the child's arm, legs and midsection.
"When (my mother) got home, I asked her what those bruises were and she said, 'Don't worry about it. I'll take care of it,'" Giller said in her taped testimony, adding that she hasn't spoken to her mother since the investigation started.
On cross examination by Combee, Giller was asked if she used to hit one of her younger brothers when staying home alone with him.
"We were kids. We fought all the time," Giller testified.
Combee asked Paige Giller if she was aware that detectives had once listed her as a possible suspect and the belief was her mother was covering for her.
"Yes," Giller answered.
"Were you aware that Penny had been questioned by detectives prior to this incident regarding a plot to kill your mother?" Combee asked during the taped deposition.
"No," Giller replied.
[...]
FROM THE REPORT
The arrest report said that, between Feb. 27 and Feb. 28, 2007, Martha Giller abused the child with her hands and a "possible unknown object."
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