The high-profile case of a man almost beaten to death near Eastern Market is in the hands of the jury again Wednesday.
T.C. Maslin’s wife has been his crusader and caretaker since the August attack. Tuesday Abby Maslin was her husband’s voice, taking the stand before closing arguments in the trial of one of the three men charged in the case.
The prosecution says that during a robbery of Maslin, 22-year-old Tommy Branch struck him in the head with an aluminum baseball bat he called his Barry Bonds, causing severe brain injuries.
On the stand Tuesday, Abby Maslin said her husband has undergone six operations and many rounds of rehab. He walks with a limp, has limited use of his right arm and has trouble communicating. It’s difficult for her to tell what T.C. Maslin understands and what he doesn’t.
She said he may never fully recover from the beating.
Branch is one of three men charged in the case, and one of the prosecution’s key witnesses against Branch is another of the suspects. The defense argues the witness is lying in order to save himself.
The jury was dismissed for the day about a half hour after getting the case Tuesday.
Photo Credit: Abigail Maslin