The trial against the man accused of killing Bella Bond continued Wednesday after several witnesses testified on the investigation of the little girl's death.
Michael McCarthy's ex-girlfriend, a newly added witness who had originally refused to be interviewed by both the defense and prosecution, nervously took the stand. She testified that she dated McCarthy off and on for more than six years in their teens and 20s.
Devlin said their group of friends – including McCarthy and Michael Sprinsky – would hang out, drinking and doing drugs, in several locations near McCarthy's Second Street home in South Boston.
"Off of First Street, there were a couple of places that everyone would meet up," Devlin said.
Devlin circled the locations, along the Reserved Channel in South Boston, for jurors. It's the same location where Rachelle Bond testified that McCarthy dumped Bella Bond's body.
"They were out of the way, quiet and dark at night, just isolated areas," Devlin said.
After the jury was dismissed for the day, the defense had a significant objection to the prosecution's request to add involuntary manslaughter to the verdicts the jury can weigh during deliberations. They were initially supposed to be considering just first or second degree murder.
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"We don't think that there's any evidence in the record that would justify that so we would object to giving an involuntary manslaughter charge," defense attorney Jonathan Shapiro said.
McCarthy was indicted on first degree murder charges, so the jury is already allowed to weigh that and the lesser charge of second degree murder.
The judge hasn't decided yet whether she'll allow the prosecution's motion to add involuntary manslaughter as a possible verdict.
Trial Underway for Man Accused of Killing Bella Bond
Crime lab forensic scientist Jennifer Montgomery also took the Wednesday stand regarding DNA evidence found in the Maxwell Street apartment of Rachelle Bond and Michael McCarthy.
Montgomery said that a handful of long strands of hair was found in the refrigerator and freezer. Rachelle Bond previously told police she thought McCarthy may have put Bella Bond in the refrigerator, according to prior testimony.
Bond had testified that her boyfriend may have put her daughter in the fridge. Montgomery said that DNA testing could not distinguish whether it was from Bond or her child.
The jury in the Bella Bond murder trial could get the case next week.
The judge told jurors late Wednesday that the prosecution and defense are expected to wrap up by mid-week next week.
