William Richard

William Richard testified for the prosecution on Day 28 about the explosion outside Forum, his efforts to help his children, and the injuries and death within his family. He described hearing the first explosion, deciding to leave, and beginning to climb the barricade before the second blast threw him into the street.

Richard said he returned to the sidewalk, found that Jane had lost part of her left leg, and carried her toward help while keeping Henry close. After checking on Denise and Martin, he believed Martin would not survive and that Jane needed immediate help. He left Denise with Martin and accompanied Jane and Henry to Children's Hospital. He described Jane's below-knee amputation and shrapnel wounds, Denise's loss of sight in one eye, Henry's temporary hearing loss, and his own burns, shrapnel injuries, and hearing damage. Denise later told him that eight-year-old Martin had died.

Nadine Pellegrini used photographs and a Forum video clip to develop his account. Five photographs and the clip were admitted. Richard qualified parts of his recollection and some video identifications; his testimony concerned the blast and its effects rather than firsthand recognition of a perpetrator. After direct examination, David I. Bruck stated that the defense had no questions.

At sentencing on Day 67, Richard said his family had preferred a lifetime for the defendant to reconcile with his actions. That statement expressed the family's view on punishment, not a ruling by the court.