CLEVELAND — The trial of Bionca Ellis, the woman accused of killing a toddler last year in a grocery store parking lot, is drawing to an end, with the jury deliberating after closing arguments.
News 5 didn't stream the previous days of the trial, per an order from the judge. We will stream the verdict when the jury is ready with it.
Watch the closing arguments below — Warning: The video may contain graphic language and images.
Ellis is facing charges of aggravated murder, murder, felonious assault, attempted murder, tampering with evidence and aggravated theft in connection with the June 3, 2024, stabbing death of 3-year-old Julian Wood.
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She’s been held in jail on a $5 million bond since her arrest.
Since the stabbing in June 2024, there has been little question over what happened.
“We have a 3-year-old child whose life was taken from him, not by his fault, not by his mother’s fault. Bionca caused the death of that child,” defense attorney Fernando Mack said during his closing argument Tuesday.
Ellis has pleaded not guilty by reason of insanity. Her mental state during the incident has become a central theme that the jury will contemplate.
“The one principal issue in this case is not going to be who did it or whether she did it. It’s the issue of legal insanity,” assistant prosecutor Anna Faraglia said during closing arguments.
For a week, surveillance video, interviews, witness testimony and other evidence have detailed Ellis's actions on June 3, 2024.
The state laid out a timeline from the day, beginning with her visit to the North Olmsted police department, where she was inquiring about cash she believed was taken and not returned after a recent jail stay.
From there, Ellis walked to a shopping plaza across the street. Videos showed her taking two knives from the housewares department of a thrift store, briefly stopping into a bin store beside it, then encountering 3-year-old Julian and his mother, Margot Wood, inside the nearby Giant Eagle.
Witnesses, including Margot Wood, testified that Ellis followed the mother and son to their car and stabbed them both. Julian died from his injuries.
The defense has not disputed those facts. But the point of contention has been whether Ellis was aware of what she was doing and whether it was wrong.
“It’s about understanding the mind behind the tragedy,” said defense attorney Carlos Johnson.
Mack pointed to Ellis's irrational actions, adding, “That’s not the behavior of someone who is criminally-minded.”
Forensic psychiatrists testified for both sides during the trial, each coming to different conclusions about whether Ellis was insane during the stabbing.
RELATED: Psychiatrists disagree whether Bionca Ellis was insane during stabbing death of toddler
The defense's expert witness testified that Ellis was experiencing hallucinations associated with her mental illness and couldn't distinguish reality or morality at the time.
“Ms. Ellis had a severe mental disease, schizophrenia, and it caused her not to know what she was doing was wrong,” Johnson recapped.
A separate forensic psychiatrist drew a different conclusion. He said Ellis's actions had more to do with rage than her mental illness.
“Many people in our country suffer with mental illness every single day. But they don’t go out and murder people,” said Faraglia during closing arguments.
Assistant prosecutor Jillian Piteo added, “Hold her accountable for what she did to that child and his mother."
The jury began deliberating on Tuesday afternoon. Jurors will resume deliberations at 8:30 a.m. Wednesday.
Ellis’s trial date was repeatedly delayed as she was standoffish in court and ordered to have several mental health assessments to determine if she was competent to stand trial.
RELATED: Arraignment took three attempts as Ellis refused to cooperate
Both the defense and prosecution presented opening arguments on Oct. 6. The defense didn't challenge what happened on June 3, 2024. But the Ellis's mental health at the time of the attack was the focus of the defense's case.
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Jurors heard from eyewitnesses, as the state presented videos, images, and 911 calls to establish a timeline and details about how the attack unfolded.
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Jurors also heard from the toddler's mother, who testified that she didn't know Ellis before the attack happened.
RELATED: Mother of toddler killed in 2024 stabbing testifies in Bionca Ellis trial
The defense presented a not guilty plea by reason of insanity, stating that the defendant's behavior, medical history and the way she acted during and after the attack showed she was not in a coherent state of mind.
