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.
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.
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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.
