KALAMAZOO -- Testimony in the Calista Springer Murder trial has ended, but it may be a few days before the Jury gets the case. They will have some compelling testimony to mull over while they wait. It’s unusual for a suspect in a major murder case to take the stand in his own defense, but the Calista Springer case has been anything but typical.

Anthony Springer was the defense’s star witness, who was able to recount Calista Springer’s entire story, the lead paint poisoning, the assortment of life and health endangering events, and of all of their failed attempts to keep her restrained over the years. Finally he testified that they resorted to dog chains 2 days before the fire that killed her.

In sometimes emotional and bone chilling testimony, he recounted some of the incidents, pouring gasoline on herself trying to drink it, appearing at their bedside at night with a knife, beating the dog with a stick. One day he heard the cat howling and he knew it was her, torturing the cat to death.

The trial will reconvene for closing arguments and final instructions Friday afternoon and then jury deliberations will begin. To the surprise of many, Prosecutor John McDonough declined to cross-exam Springer.