Romel Sucuzhanay, brother of the victim, took the stand after lunch. Romel was walking home from a bar with Jose in December 2008 when, according to prosecution witnesses, Keith Phoenix and Hakim Scott attacked the brothers.
The Ink’s Amanda Massa reports that Romel took the stand a little before 2:30 p.m. In an emotional testimony, he recounted the attack in which his brother was killed. Romel said that when Hakim Scott smashed a bottle over Jose’s head, shards of glass cut Romel’s arm. Romel took off his jacket and showed the scars to the judge.
Romel broke down when he recounted Keith Phoenix’s attack on his brother with a baseball bat. He described seeing his brother lying on the sidewalk after the attack: “And I walked to see my brother, and my brother…” Romel said in Spanish through a translator before pausing, his face in his hands. “I saw there was blood. The tongue was out and he could only try to talk.”
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