A Florida medical examiner emotionally broke down in court during her testimony against a man acused of raping, abducting, and murdering an 8-year-old girl.
Jacksonville Chief Medical Examiner Dr. Valerie Rao testified that the girl she performed an autopsy on, Cherish Perrywinkle, sustained severe injuries from being strangled and raped.
Viewing photographs of her battered body in court on Tuesday, Rao became teary and unable to continue. The trial was delayed.
After the jury was led out, the defense said that Rao's emotional reaction could prejudice the jurors against Smith and requested a mistrial. Prosecutors argued that Rao has testified about such injuries before but that this time jurors were crying, and it affected her because she is human.
Donald Smith, 61, is charged with kidnapping, raping and murdering the girl, and faces a possible death sentence if convicted.
Smith allegedly lured her family to Walmart in 2013 with promises to buy food and clothing, then left with the girl. Security video showed her skipping out the door behind him.