Horner's Trial: Mom's Plea for Life

0:00Defense attorneys are pushing hard in the Tanner Horner trial, where he already pleaded guilty to capital murder for killing seven-year-old Athena. Strand during a kidnapping, the jury now decides if he gets life without parole or the death penalty, and the defense is fighting to sway them toward life. They kicked off with Horner's mom on the stand Friday, after Thursday's witnesses dove into his rough childhood stuff, like autism and lead poisoning. From swallowing coins as a toddler, it's all aimed at showing he's flawed, but not monstrous enough for execution. Prosecutors laid it out brutal earlier, with video and audio capturing Athena's final moments after Horner got her into that FedEx van. He even told investigators some alter ego, named Zero, took over and did the deed. Meanwhile, the defense keeps building their case at the Tim Curry criminal justice center and for worth, humanizing Horner to dodge the ultimate sentence. Trials rolling on and should wrap up into early May, leaving that jury to weigh kids' nightmare against one man's broken past.

1:04I'm Cory with the story, and you've been listening to Dallas News today, AI-powered local news.