Testimony of Komisarjevsky's Daughter to be Shown

The video of Joshua Komisarjevsky's nine-year-old daughter testifying will be played in court, but with a number of conditions and restrictions.

According to the Associated Press:

[Judge Jon] C. Blue said he would only allow jurors, lawyers and reporters to see the video. It's not clear when the video, which doesn't exist yet, will be shown.

Under Blue's order, the video will be played in open court, but only the jury will be able to see it. The audience would be able only to listen to it. Credentialed members of the media will be allowed to watch the video at some later point when court is not in session, possibly on the same day the jury sees it.

As Worker, Komisarjevsky was ‘Trustworthy’ Update at 6:20 p.m. on Nov. 16

Prior to murdering members of the Petit family in 2007, Joshua Komisarjevsky lived in a halfway home after being released from prison. Jaclyn Osden, his case manager, testified on Wednesday about his stay in the home – and his work as a roofer.

According to the Hartford Courant:  

Osden testified that Komisarjevsky's 21 urine tests and 21 Breathalyzer tests were all negative for drugs and alcohol.

A report Osden wrote described Komisarjevsky as a "superb employee who was not only hardworking but trustworthy enough to be in charge of his own crew."

Komisarjevsky's Religious Upbringing Detailed in Court. Update at 5:50 p.m. on Nov. 15

The strict religious upbringing of Joshua Komisarjevsky was the focus of the courtroom on Tuesday.

Julie Ingersoll, a professor of religious studies at the University of North Florida, was quoted by the Associated Press for the testimony she gave jurors.

Komisarjevsky at the time called it “the darkness” and believed it was part of him, Ingersoll testified, but he later came to believe it was just a panic attack.

Ingersoll said the family believes that mental illness is really just “irresponsibility” and a spiritual problem that can’t be treated by psychiatrists or psychologists, whom they believe are among outsiders who can’t be trusted.

Update at 4:15 p.m. on Nov. 14

It appears likely that Joshua Komisarjevsky’s 9-year-old daughter will testify to jurors deciding whether the murderer should get the death penalty. 

According to the Hartford Courant, a recorded video would be shown to jurors rather than having the girl appear in the courtroom.

Sources said the girl would be "spoken to," probably next week, and that it was unlikely that she would be questioned by attorneys in the case.

The attorney for the girl's guardian, Raymond Hassett, said he would file a motion later Monday to close the courtroom to the public when the jury gets to see the video.

Update at 4:40 p.m. on Nov. 10

Dr. William Petit, the survivor the 2007 home invasion that ended with his wife and two daughters dead, was forced to remove his vest in the courtroom, which displayed the logo of the Connecticut chapter of the Multiple Sclerosis Society.

Petit’s wife, who was strangled to death, had MS, reported the Republican American.

Judge Jon C. Blue ruled earlier this year that family members and supporters of Petit could wear a small pin with the Petit Family Foundation logo on it. Other insignia or logos have not been allowed. As a matter of routine, Donovan counts the number of pins at the beginging of most court days.

"I've allowed the pins, but don't test me any farther," Blue said, prompting Petit to take off his vest as Blue spoke.

The attorney representing the state said that the wearing of the vest was “not deliberate” or “done with bad intent.”

Update at 5:35 p.m. on Nov. 9

Four days before Joshua Komisarjevsky committed a brutal home invasion and triple murder, a monitoring bracelet was removed from his ankle by his parole officer.

According to the Republican American:

Komisajevsky's parole officer, Abigail Cintron, testified that she placed the ankle bracelet on Komisarjevsky on March 21, when he was released to her from a Hartford halfway house. She removed the bracelet on July 19. His conditions of parole required that he be monitored for only three months.

Komisarjevsky was found guilty of 17 charges in the deaths of Jennifer Hawke-Petit and her two daughters during a home invasion on July 23, 2007.

Update at 6:25 p.m. on Nov. 8

In an interview with Radar Online, Caroline Mesel, ex-girlfriend of convicted killer Joshua Komisarjevsky, talks about what he was like as a boyfriend – and as a father.

"His daughter was adorable, he loved her to death. He was a great dad," Mesel told RadarOnline.com in an exclusive interview, as she revealed how 31-year-old Komisarjevsky cared for his then five-year-old daughter.

Joshua was granted sole custody of the girl two months before the murders after being embroiled in a bitter custody battle with her mother, Jennifer Norton, who was being treated at a crisis intervention unit.

Mesel was dating Komisarjevsky at the time of the 2007 home invasion and murders. She told the website that she met Steven Hayes, the accomplice in the murders, and that he was “creepy.”

Update at 5:30 p.m. on Nov. 7

With Joshua Komisarjevsky facing the death penalty for his role in a triple murder and the sexual assault of a young girl, his psychologist told jurors about a history of sexual abuse he suffered as a child.

According to the Associated Press:

Clinical psychologist Leslie Lebowitz testified Monday in New Haven Superior Court that she met with Komisarjevsky more than a dozen times for a psychological evaluation of him. Lebowitz said she concluded Komisarjevsky was sexually abused "not every day, but a lot" [by his adopted brother].

Komisarjevsky's defense says his strictly religious family never got him proper psychological treatment.

However, she said there was no excuse for the crimes Komisarjevsky was convicted of.

For a complete review of the trial including the guilt phase, .