Judge hears motions in Hayes murder trial

New Haven, Conn. (WTNH) - Judge Jon Blue heard motions from lawyers in the Cheshire home invasion trial of Steven Hayes, one day after both sides rested their case.

The state's final witness, Correction Officer Jeremiah Krob, stunned the courtroom Tuesday, testifying that he overheard Hayes in a jail cell confess to killing Jennifer Hawke-Petit.

According to Krob, Hayes also speculated that Dr. William Petit may have been in on the home invasion for insurance money. Hayes reportedly told another inmate that he tied Petit up in the basement, and the only way he could have gotten loose would be if co-defendant Joshua Komisarjevsky loosened the ties.

The Petit family called that allegation outrageous.

"I think the evidence put on by the prosecution speaks for itself," Dr. Petit said.

"A person has to be very insensitive to make a statement of such a man who has spent his life trying to build his family to be the greatest family he would know," said Rev. Richard Hawke, Jennifer's father.

There has never been an official allegation of Dr Petit being involved in the crime.

The jury has the next two days off.

Outside of court, Bridgeport Defense Attorney Eugene Riccio says it’s all part of the strategy.

“Not surprising at all. I think the strategy is to attempt to save their client’s life,” Riccio stated. “And the action in this case will be during the course of the death penalty phase of it.”

Another defense tactic during trial was shifting blame to co-defendant Joshua Komisarjevsky. Both men are charged in the July 2007 murders of Jennifer Hawke-Petit and daughters Hayley and Michaela.  By pointing Komisarjevsky as the ring leader the defense is trying to plant seeds of doubt in the minds of the jury.

“It’s a good strategy to try to show the jury that the responsibility lies in another corner besides their client.”

“For the defense from the beginning it hasn’t been the guilt or non-guilt of Mr. Hayes,” said former State's Attorney Christopher Morano. “It’s been about laying the foundation for what is the true battle in this case which is whether the state is going to get a death sentence.”

The jury has already seen graphic crime scene photos inside the burned Cheshire home including the girls beds - even one of the fifth grader still tied up.

Prosecutors are planning to use a multimedia presentation in closing arguments, similar to the one used in the Michael Skakel murder trial. It’s something jurors there said convinced them to convict the Kennedy cousin.

Former State's Attorney Christopher Morano helped craft that presentation and says it helps jurors connect the dots.

“To organize and marshal the state's evidence and present it to the jury in a manner that will help them sift through the mountains of evidence they've heard during the trial and put the pieces of the puzzle together and it really tells the state's story.”

Closing arguments are set for Friday in the triple murder case, and the jury is expected to get the case on Monday.

Follow @News8Now and WTNH.com for updates on the case later today.