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Prosecution Rests Case Trial Of Man Accused In Knoxville Boy's Death

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- The prosecution has rested its case in the trial of the Knoxville man accused in the 2012 beating death of his girlfriend's 11-year-old son.

The trial of Anthony Bush got underway earlier this week.

In the courtroom on Wednesday, jury members were shown visual evidence.

The jury was permitted to see autopsy photos of 11-year-old Donovan McKee over the objections of the defense. They also saw what it was like inside the Knoxville apartment once police arrived.

McKee and his little brother shared bunk beds in the Rochelle Towers apartment, which is a renovated school building.

And you'd expect to find toys in such an apartment. But some other items, in the context with what allegedly happened to the boy, were very disturbing.

A broken piece of wood that originally measured 50-inches long and one-and-a-half-inches wide, as well as a metal pipe.

Investigators say they believe the boy was beaten for nine hours.

The jury also saw apparent blood stains and dents in the walls. And splatter that reached as high as the apartment ceiling.

Experts testified the boy suffered from injuries including a skull deformity, puncture to the calf, as well as lacerations to the shoulder arm and thigh.

Investigators say the boy was beaten because he had not vacuumed the apartment.

Bush was watching the children while their mother, Cynthia McKee, was at work, authorities said.

She pleaded guilty to involuntary manslaughter after investigators say she waited more than an hour to call 911 when she found the boy unresponsive.

The defense concedes Bush is responsible for the boy's death, but they argue it was not intentional.

RELATED LINKS:
Opening Statements Begin In Trial Of Man Accused In Boy's Beating Death (1/29/13)
Other Reports on the Anthony Bush Case

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