In what I consider to be terribly cruel and unnecessary, a video of little ‘J.N.’ was played for the jury in the defense’s attempt to convince them to spare Komisarjevsky’s life.

Komisarjevsky hasn’t seen his daughter since his arrest on July 23, 2007. He was in prison when she was born in 2002 and after his release in 2006, he engaged the child’s mother in a custody battle and won in May 2007, two months before the Petit family murders.

Caroline Burry, a social worker and child development instructor hired by Komisarjevsky’s defense, interviewed the 9-year-old girl at the offices of her legal guardian.

J.N. lives with a maternal aunt. Her schoolmates and others don’t know she is the daughter of one of the most notorious convicted killers in the U.S. She lives under an assumed name and has been sheltered from the events of the murders. Burry said that she barely remembers him.

Burry showed her some pictures of Komisarjevsky and asked if she knew who he is. She replied she remembers him as Grandpa’s son Josh. “I remember playing with Josh,” she said.

Burry described ‘J.N.’ as bright, engaging, and sparkly. When she was asked whether she remembered ever living with “Josh” she said she did not remember anything.

Burry testified her overprotective family will not be able to shelter her much longer and it’s only a matter of time before the case’s notoriety catches up to her.

“She would have to live on a daily basis with being labeled and quite possibly stigmatized with the fact her father is on death row and there is an execution coming up.”

With all the controversy surrounding forcing ‘J.N.’ to provide testimony, probably the biggest controversies occurred when Komisarjevsky defied attorney Jeremiah Donovan when he addressed the judge, out of the presence of the jury, asking that the video not be shown.

He told Judge Jon Blue, “Among many other considerations, I have carefully come to the overwhelming opinion that I am not at all comfortable putting my daughter in a position wherein she may feel that she has to explain or justify herself to anyone who perceives her statements to somehow help one of the most hated people in America. She’s 9 years old. Had this interview been her decision to make, and she was old enough to understand that decision, that would be one thing. However, that is not the case in this situation. The decision has been made for her.”

So, what did Donovan accomplish? The child didn’t plead for Komisarjevsky’s life. She has little to no recollection of him and doesn’t even refer to him as daddy!

What did Burry accomplish when she testified it was only a matter of time before the case’s notoriety catches up to her? She lives under a new identity so how will people make the connection?

While it is interesting that Komisarjevsky asked that the video not be shown, I have not forgotten just how manipulative Komisarjevsky is. No doubt, his statement was more self-serving then anything else!

For the sake of the Petit, Hawke, and Penn families, I am hoping the penalty phase testimony is wrapping-up and the jury will finally get to complete their job!

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