The ninth day of the Raul Valle murder trial ended with the state and defense resting their case.

Valle, 20, is accused of stabbing and killing 17-year-old James McGrath and stabbing three others at a house party on Laurel Glen Drive in Shelton on May 14, 2022.

Valle was 16 years old at the time and has since pleaded not guilty to all charges.

On Tuesday, Valle took the stand again to finish his testimony from Monday.

Valle’s attorney Kevin Smith continued to ask Valle what was going through his mind as the fight broke out at 43 Laurel Glen Drive between 30 Shelton high teens and his friend, Tyler DaSilva and himself.

Smith: Put us there on the lawn with you in the fetal position. What were you feeling? 

Valle: Hopeless, scared, terrified.

Valle said at one point, he took the knife his “friend” Jack Snyder had given him, and began waving it around, but he said he became more scared since the group did not back away.

Valle testified to not hearing anyone say, “he’s got a knife!”

Smith asked Valle if he meant to stab Ryan Heinz, Faison Teele, Thomas Connery or James McGrath, to which Valle responded no.

Smith then asked Valle why he did not just leave.

As Valle was crying he said “I saw my best friend, someone I loved and nobody was helping him.”

Valle’s attorney then asked him why he used the knife that Snyder had given him.

Valle responded, “It felt like it was the only thing that was going to get me out of that situation.”

Valle testified that he did not find out about the stabbings, nor their severity until the next day when he had already left for Florida.

“I kept saying ‘no way, that’s not possible,’ I went over to my mom and I told her what happened,” Valle said.

He said they stayed in Florida for one to two more days before coming back to Connecticut.

During the state’s cross examination, Senior Assistant State’s Attorney Marc Durso jumped right to the events of May 14, 2022.

Durso asked Valle about the first fight at 5 Lazy Brook Road that happened between Heinz of St. Joseph’s, and Snyder and DaSilva.

Multiple witnesses brought in from the state had previously testified to Heinz being hit by Valle with a motorcycle helmet.

Durso: So you want these ladies and gentlemen to believe that you did slam the helmet when he was on the ground?

Valle: Yes.

Durso: Is that what you remember, or are you saying the video is false?

Valle: I don’t really see that in the video.

Durso then questions Valle about what happened once his group of six got to Trumbull High School and whether or not he was participating in the “basketball group chat” where Valle texted the group to send them the address of where the fight will be.

Durso: Did you write this?

Valle: It says my name, but I don’t see the number.

Durso: Someone else have your phone that night?

Valle: I don’t remember.

Durso: Someone else named Lito?

Valle: I don’t remember, no.

Then, Durso began to question Valle about the deadly stabbing at 43 Laurel Glen Drive.

He asked Valle for clarification on the moment Valle used the knife, asking him at what point he decided to open the knife.

“I don’t remember opening it,” Valle said.

Valle repeated to the state attorney that he was waving the knife around, but did not aim at one particular person.

Durso: There were four people that were stabbed that night?

Valle: Yes.

Durso: And those four people had nine stab wounds?

Valle: I believe so, yes.

Durso: And you’re the one responsible, correct?

Valle: At the time, I didn’t know when they got stabbed or who got stabbed.

The defense then redirected and asked Valle if he was aware he had stabbed four teens.

Valle said no, and he was just flailing his arm, waving it around.

At the end of the day, the defense made a motion to acquit his client of the murder charge, as he argued the state had not proven that his client intentionally wanted to kill James McGrath.

The state argued back that based on the number of victims in the case and the extent of their injuries, a jury could make a decision on Valle’s intent.

Judge Shari Murphy told the courtroom she would place the court’s ruling back on the record on July 3.

On Thursday, the jury is expected to give the charge and instructions to the jury to then begin deliberations.