Luong does not want to take the stand

MOBILE, Ala. - The judge asked Luong if he wanted to take the stand, and Luong said no. The defense rested after Luong’s attorney called no witnesses. Closing arguments are expected Thursday.

On the third day of testimony jurors heard from the people who found the missing children thrown off the Dauphin Island Bridge. Their father, Lam Luong, is on trial for their murders. There were few dry eyes in the courtroom, as images of the children as they were found were shown.

Danny was the first child found. On January 12, 2008, a duck hunter discovered his body on January 12 in the marshland of Port Aux Pines. J.J. Sprinkle said he was in shock and didn't know how someone could do something like that. Danny's three year old brother Ryan was found the following day, also by a duck hunter in Bayou La Fouche. Jurors were shown pictures of the areas where both boys were found.

An officer with the Mississippi Department of Marine Resources took the stand next. The officer testified to finding little Lindsey, on January 15, 2008 in a Bayou near Pascagoula. The officer said he'd heard about the search and wanted to help look for the children since he knew the area well.

A commercial shrimper is the one who found Hannah, more than 100 miles from the Dauphin Island Bridge, in Venice Louisiana. Ricky Brown was waiting for the weather to break at sea and grabbed his video camera to capture the choppy conditions. Brown said he heard about the missing children and also got wind a body was spotted in his vicinity. That's when Brown saw what would later be identified as Hannah Luong.

Captain Paul Stewart with the Sheriff's Flotilla testified to the weather conditions during the two weeks search teams scoured the waters looking for the children.

The state expects to rest its case Thursday, with two final witnesses expected to take the stand Wednesday afternoon. State officials said the jurors could hear closing statements Thursday, and also hear the charges.