None of the final three defendants on trial for the hazing death of Florida A&M drum major Robert Champion took the stand in their defense before both sides rested their cases Thursday.
The trial may soon be in the hands of the jury, but closing arguments were put on hold Thursday as attorneys for Benjamin McNamee, Aaron Golson and Darryl Cearnel go over jury instructions.
As their last witness, prosecutors called medical examiner Dr. Sara Irrgang, who said Champion died from blunt force trauma to his back and upper arms.
"He lost at least half of his blood volume very suddenly," Irrgang told the jury.
The state rested its case, and the defense called just one witness — Lasherry Codner — who turned herself in and took a plea deal for her connection in Champion's death.
In court Thursday, Codner said she saw both McNamee and Golson on the bus where Champion was beaten to death. She said she never saw anything wrong with the ritual known as "crossing Bus C."
"I just figured it was a competition," Codner said.
The argument that the hazing ritual was actually a competition is the same argument that attorneys for Dante Martin, the so-called ringleader in Champion's beating, used at his trial.
Martin was found guilty last year and sentenced in January to more than 6 years behind bars.
Now, the last three of his former bandmates charged in Champion's death could be looking at up to 15 years in prison if they, too, are found guilty.
Closing arguments are set to begin Friday morning. Then, the case will go to the jury.
Under Florida law, hazing can either be a felony or a misdemeanor. It's a felony if the victim dies or is seriously hurt.
FAMU updated its anti-hazing rules after Champion's death. Now, students who haze others could face being kicked out of school.