Jurors see video of brain-injured girl

SPRINGFIELD, Mass., Nov. 19 (UPI) -- Jurors in a Massachusetts courtroom appeared close to tears as they watched a video at the trial of a man accused of abusing his 14-year-old stepdaughter.

The 26-minute presentation showed brain-injured Haleigh Poutre moving around in a wheelchair, feeding herself and slowly printing her name, the Boston Globe reported Wednesday.

The newspaper said at times several jurors could be seen wiping their eyes as they watched the video Tuesday in Hampden County Superior Court.

Haleigh's stepfather, Jason Strickland, 34, is accused of severely abusing her during a five-year period that culminated in her near-fatal brain injury in 2005.

Dr. Jeffrey Forman of Franciscan Hospital for Children in Brighton testified that Haleigh has made dramatic progress since she regained consciousness.

The girl was the center of a national end-of-life debate three years ago when the state's child protection agency sought to remove her life support saying she was in an irreversible vegetative state.