The jury in the Fredrick Anderson case on Thursday heard tapes in which the state said he was "coaching" his wife on her testimony.
Defense attorney Mary Ann Green denied it was coaching, saying the two were refreshing each other's memories on the events in which he is facing serious criminal charges.
Criminal Court Judge Barry Steelman allowed the tapes as rebuttal proof by the state. All the tapes were recorded from calls Anderson made from the county jail to his wife, Stephanie, since the trial started last Tuesday.
Ms. Anderson testified for the defense, but Anderson announced Thursday morning that he had decided not to take the witness stand himself. The defense then rested its case.
The case went to the jury late Thursday afternoon. The jury is to return Friday morning to start deliberations.
Anderson, 48, of Atlanta, is standing trial on two counts of especially aggravated kidnapping, three counts of using a weapon in the commission of a felony, three counts of aggravated robbery and aggravated burglary.
In one of the jail conversations, Anderson said, "We've got to have our s--- together."
When his wife said she thought he was wearing a striped shirt the night of the incident, he told her it was all black.
Judge Steelman said a defendant is not suppose to be talking to an upcoming witness about their testimony and the testimony of others after the trial starts.
Inmates at the jail are warned that their conversations are being taped.
Amanda Schmidt earlier testified that Anderson pistol-whipped her and other members of her family at her mother's house in East Lake on June 10, 2010. She identified Anderson as the man who burst in wielding a pistol.
She said a large number of people were in the house at 4806 13th Ave., including her bed-ridden grandmother, her 11-year-old twin brother and sister, and three members of the Woods family.
She said she and her mother, who is on oxygen, were in her mother's room playing computer games on a laptop when Anderson came in demanding money. She said he yanked her mother to the floor, separating her from her oxygen, and hit her in the side of the face with the gun.
She said her mother was "scared, terrified. She was begging for mercy. She couldn't breathe."
She said the man helped himself to a bag of money and some prescription medications.
The witness said she tried to call 911, but Anderson saw the light on her cellphone. She said he grabbed the phone, while knocking her to the floor. She said he hit her in the head with the pistol and also stomped her neck and back.
She said she then saw her young brother stick his head out of another bedroom, then found him lying next to her. She said he had been knocked out and was in a pool of blood. She said she noticed that she also had blood running down her neck and her shirt was covered with blood.
The witness said Anderson took her phone, and when she got it back she noticed there had been several calls to Atlanta the night of the incident.
The prosecution played a 911 call that her young brother made. He said, "There's a big old black man who has a gun pointed at my mom's head."
Prosecutor Brett Alexander said Anderson was caught inside a condemned crack house nearby. He had two cellphones with him belonging to the Schmidt family, it was stated.
Ms. Green said Anderson and his wife had gone to Oak Ridge, then stopped by Bojangles on Brainerd Road to pick up a tax form. She said the form was not ready and Anderson went to Rossville Boulevard to meet a man named Tajuan. She said when Tajuan did not show up he started walking toward his house.
Ms. Green said Anderson saw two black men come out of the Schmidt house, and he "decided not to get involved" because he was on 10-year probation in Georgia. She said that is when he hid out in the shack.