The South Carolina father convicted of murdering his five children cried when footage of their memorial service was played during his death penalty hearing as his family members asked the jury to spare his life.
The same jury that convicted Timothy Jones Jr. of killing his five children in their Lexington home in August 2014 is set to begin deliberating on Thursday on whether he should be given the death penalty or life in prison.
During his hearing on Wednesday, Jones wiped tears away as defense attorneys played video for the jury of the memorial service held for his slain children in Mississippi.
Jones then told the judge he did not wish to testify or address the jury before they decide his fate.
Timothy Jones Jr. wiped tears away on Wednesday during his death penalty hearing as defense attorneys played video for the jury of the memorial service held for the five children he killed
The same jury that convicted Timothy Jones Jr. of killing his five children in their Lexington home in August 2014 is set to begin deliberating on Thursday on whether he should be given the death penalty or life in prison
In his confession to authorities, Jones admitted to killing his six-year-old son Nahtahn by exercising the boy to death as a punishment after he refused to admit he broke an electrical outlet.
Jones didn't call 911 when he found his son dead and chose to watch a prison rape scene from a movie on his cellphone instead.
Several hours later, Jones said he decided to kill the other children, strangling 8-year-old Merah and 7-year-old Elias with his hands and using a belt to choke 2-year-old Gabriel and 1-year-old Abigail because his hands were too big.
He went on the run for several days with the bodies of his children in his SUV before dumping them in garbage bags on a hillside in Alabama.
The horrific details of the killings took a back seat on Wednesday as Jones' two half brothers, his half sister and his stepmother all testified on his behalf for the defense.
The family members said Jones has much more to offer by being allowed to live out his life in prison than die at the end of a needle or in the electric chair. They testified he could teach other inmates like he guided them through complex subjects at school.
His two half brothers, Tyler and Travis Jones, both urged the jury to spare his life on Wednesday because the family had been through too much pain already following the death of the five children
Tim Jones, Sr., embraces his son, Travis Jones during the sentencing phase of Tim Jones Jr.'s trial in Lexington, South Carolina
And they all asked to spare Jones' life because after all the pain they
