longisland

The defense rested its case Tuesday in the murder trial against Michael Valva.

<a href="https://longisland.news12.com/live-blog-thomas-valva-murder-trial">Live Blog: Thomas Valva Murder Trial</a>

Several witnesses were called by defense attorneys, including the head of security for Long Island Community Hospital.

Tony Macia testified that Michael Valva was distraught in the hospital on the day his son died.

Surveillance video from the hospital was entered into evidence by the defense and shows the father with his head in his hands rocking back.

Under cross-examination, prosecutors highlighted a section of the same video that showed Michael Valva texting for much of the time he was there with his legs stretched out.

The prosecution described his appearance as "relaxed and comfortable."

NYPD patrol officer and PBA union representative Kenneth Wengert described Michael Valva on the day after his son died as "stoic and not functioning as he normally would."

Wengert said he went with the father to the morgue and that Michael Valva was "weeping, waling, moaning and crying" when he saw Thomas Valva's body.

The last witness brought in the case was a private investigator who read text threads between Michael Valva and his ex-fiancee Angela Pollina from the day Thomas Valva died. The father texted Pollina "He cried" and "I heard him cry."

"It occurred when Michael was in the ambulance on the way to Long Island Community Hospital so he either heard Thomas crying in the ambulance or he believed he heard him cry in the ambulance," said defense attorney John LoTurco.

Thomas Valva's father and his ex-fiancee have been charged in the 8-year-old's death. Prosecutors claim they forced him and his brother to live in the garage for months - even when it was below freezing.

Michael Valva made a decision not to testify during the trial.

LoTurco says they were concerned cross-examination of the father could unduly influence the jury.

The jury has now seen and heard all the evidence they are going to hear.

The judge in the case ruled that the jury can consider second-degree manslaughter and criminally negligent homicide charges if Michael Valva is not convicted of second-degree murder.

There will be an off day on Wednesday before closing arguments are expected to begin on Thursday.

<a href="https://longisland.news12.com/family-shocked-and-saddened-by-death-of-8yearold-boy-in-center-moriches-41582748">Family 'shocked and saddened' by death of 8-year-old boy in Center Moriches</a><br><a href="https://longisland.news12.com/mother-of-slain-8yearold-says-father-was-abusive-for-years-41609677">Mother of slain 8-year-old says father was abusive for years</a><br><a href="https://longisland.news12.com/death-of-center-moriches-boy-leaves-question-about-process-of-reporting-child-abuse-allegations-41670539">Death of Center Moriches boy leaves question about process of reporting child abuse allegations<br></a><a href="https://longisland.news12.com/prosecutors-outline-house-of-horrors-abuse-that-led-to-thomas-valvas-death-41666545">Prosecutors outline ‘house of horrors’ abuse that led to Thomas Valva’s death</a><br><a href="https://longisland.news12.com/da-father-fiancee-watched-8yearold-boy-die-in-freezing-garage-in-center-moriches-41607151">DA: Father, fiancée watched 8-year-old boy die in freezing garage in Center Moriches</a>

Long Island

LI | Weather

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It's gonna cool down again in the 10 day. Let's talk about the bigger issue, which is going to be the rain tomorrow. So we do have cloudy skies all weekend, obviously a fog out there this morning too. So that's creating some visibility issues. But on Sunday, it is a steady rain for a good chunk of the day. So today is the pick out of the weekend. There'll be some peaks of sunshine this afternoon around lunch, but not much of it. Temperatures are in the mid ff maybe even upper fifties if we get enough sunshine, but I would not count on the sun. It's gonna be a possibility that we, you got a few breaks in the clouds, but most of the day is pretty cloudy. This is 5 p.m. the sun is already set and temperatures are still in the fifties. So you don't need the heavy winter jacket. Just a light jacket. Today will do dinner time is mainly dry, but after 89 o'clock, there could be some spritzes and stray showers. It's a all day full LG wash out on Sunday, light rain in the morning, check this out. Temperatures are in the fifties in the morning, that's above average for the afternoon at this point in the year. But we don't warm up on Sunday. It's gonna stay 50 all day with this very persistent, very steady and very damp rain that just sticks around until I'd say about six o'clock or so. So, if you have any brunch lunch, early dinner plans Sunday, I just don't see a lot of opportunity for dry time for you here. So we're gonna keep that in mind. Temperatures are not bad all the way through Monday. We're hanging out in the fifties. Today's high of 56 is the warmest that we've actually seen since mid November morning. Lows are in the forties, so no worries about frost. No worries about cold when you're stepping out the door. Tuesday morning, we're back down to 36. So that's kind of setting the stage for a cooler upcoming work week, 46 there, 43 on Wednesday and 42 on Thursday. It's not the coldest set we've seen, but it is definitely pretty chilly for that first night of Hanukkah. Expected to definitely feel like it is December, but we rebound a little bit next weekend with another chance for some rain. Just a little heads up on that. But the work week does look dry. Not that we want to talk about the work week on a Saturday, but that's how it's shaping up

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Defense for Michael Valva rests its case in Thomas Valva murder trial

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The defense has rested its case in the Michael Valve. It trial valve is accused of killing his eight year old son in 2020 News 12's crime reporter Kristen McNally has been following this case from the very beginning and has the latest details. Good evening Krista. Good evening. That's right. The defense has rested its case and Michael valve a made the decision today not to testify. His lawyers explained why he made this decision. We feel that the district attorney was highly passionate about this case, that there was emotional appeal and we were concerned about the cross examination defense attorney john letter co saying they're concerned the cross examination of Alva may unduly influence the jury. On Tuesday, the defense called several witnesses including the head of security from long aisle community hospital to the stand Tony Massa explained who was present in the family room at the hospital with Michael valve on the day his son died. The defense entered into evidence, surveillance video from the hospital. In the video valve is seen with his head in his hands, rocking back and forth, and the head of security said he was distraught at the time. Under cross examination, the prosecution highlighted portion of the same video that showed Michael valve a texting for much of the time. He was in that room and sitting with his legs stretched out, described as relaxed and comfortable by the prosecution. We also heard from an NYPD patrol officer and p. B. A Union representative who described Michael valve on the day after his son died as stoic and not functioning as he normally would Kenneth Wengert said, we and he went with Velvet to the morgue after Michael saw the body of his young deceased son. He said he was weeping, wailing, moaning and crying. The last witness brought for this case was a private investigator that read text threads between Michael and his ex fiancee, Angela Pollina. In a text sent on january 17th 2020 Michael texted her saying quote, he cried and quote, I heard him cry. It occurred when Michael was in the ambulance on his way to Long Island Community Hospital. So he either heard thomas crying in the ambulance or he believed that thomas heard that thomas cried in the ambulance. Velvet is accused of forcing two of his sons to sleep in a garage for months. His eight year old son thomas died of hypothermia after sleeping in that garage when he was only 19 degrees out and the prosecution has said the boy's father took him outside naked on that bitter morning to hose him off all while screaming and yelling at the child in an expletive filled rant. Now the defense has rested his case. Michael Valve has pled not guilty to the charges he is facing the jury has seen and heard all of the evidence they are going to during this trial. And the summations are expected to begin on Thursday that is the latest from Riverhead Christie McNally News, 12 Long Island

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