Wednesday, the prosecution wrapped up its victim impact section of the penalty phase with testimony from arguably the persons who suffered the most tragic loss in the theater shooting: Veronica Moser Sullivan’s mother.
The video was taken in 2001 on her last Christmas morning by her paternal grandfather, Robert Sullivan, who told the jury she was his little angel. It was the first and last time the jury would actually hear the voice of little girl in a shiny blue holiday dress as she pulled out her stocking and started to unwrap her presents. Ashley Moser, Veronica’s mother, testified from her wheelchair. She was asked what she missed most about her daughter, “I don’t know… everything,” she said in a very quiet voice. And then she broke down, “Her smile her laugh. The way she just was my little silly billy.”
Moser not only lost her only child, she also had a miscarriage and is paralyzed. She says she is still so depressed after the shooting that she is on medication and spends time at an intensive inpatient depression center.
Thursday, both sides will make closing arguments starting at one. The jury will likely get the case on Friday for deliberation. No one knows how long it will take for them to come up with a verdict. There are two choices: death or life in prison without the possibility of parole.