By Dan Verbeck
Kansas City, MO – Family members and lawyers trying to save two men from federal death sentences have started trial testimony at the Kansas City U.S. District Courthouse. Prosecutors are ready with cross examination. KCUR's Dan Verbeck is covering the trial and has this report.
Deborah Tebo dabs her eyes before answering questions about the younger years of Gary Eye. She's his aunt and describes how his mother never could show love to a child and how he started on crack cocaine early. Eye could be executed, as could co-defendant Steven Sandstrom. They killed William McCay in 2005 because he was black.
Prosecutors want to dull the image of a terrible childhood. The aunt is asked about a family photo. The children are smiling. Tebo hesitates and tells the court simply: "It was a holiday."