Crowe, who was originally charged with the murder of his sister, Stephanie Crowe, began testifying for the prosecution Monday in its rebuttal case on what would have been the victim's 19th birthday.

Now 20, Crowe and the jury watched three hours of videotaped police interrogations.

The prosecution interrupted the tape for live questioning in court.

Crowe's friends Josh Treadway and Aaron Houser were also originally charged with the murder. The three were arrested and charged based largely on statements Crowe and Treadway gave to Escondido police detectives during long interrogations. Prosecutors have since said that the statements were coerced.

During his interrogation, Crowe, then 14, repeatedly said he couldn't remember anything about the killing. Then, after hours of questioning, he expressed hatred for his sister and -- without providing details -- agreed with detectives that he killed her.

Treadway gave detectives a detailed description of how he acted as a lookout as Houser and Michael Crowe carried out the murder.

A judge in 1999 ruled that Crowe's statements and most of Treadway's were coerced and inadmissible at trial.

Judge Frederic Link allowed Tuite's attorneys to play the tapes in the defense's effort to show that the boys did it.

Crowe talked about the interrogations Tuesday. He testified that he and his sister, Shannon, were taken to the Escondido police station for questioning about two hours after Stephanie was found dead.

He said he was questioned about four different times that day by detectives without his parents present.

Crowe also said he told detectives he was scared and wanted to go home to his family.

"I was scared. I just didn't know what was going on. I just wanted to be with my family and I didn't know why I couldn't be," Crowe told the jury.

In earlier testimony, Crowe recalled the chain of events the night Stephanie was murdered.

He said he and Stephanie were watching TV the night of Jan. 20, 1998, then each retired to their bedrooms around 9:30 p.m.

Crowe said he was awakened by pounding, which sounded like it was coming from a laundry room door that the Crowes used as a front door.

The witness told Deputy Attorney General James Dutton that he didn't get up because the noise stopped, and he figured someone answered the door.

Crowe testified that he woke up around 4:30 a.m. with a headache and went to the kitchen to get some aspirin and a glass of milk.

A medical examiner said the victim was killed sometime after midnight and her body would have been partially extending into the hallway where Michael Crowe walked, but he testified that he saw nothing.

The witness said he woke up to loud voices outside his room between 6 a.m. and 6:30 a.m., went into the hallway and saw his mother on top of Stephanie and his father running around trying to find a phone.

"I saw my mom on top of my sister Stephanie on the ground and my dad was running back and forth in the hallway. I didn't get a good look at Stephanie, just a glimpse. I looked away because I saw blood and when I see blood I get sick," Crowe told the jury.

Escondido police testified that Michael was sitting by himself and acting differently than other family members in the hours after Stephanie's body was discovered.

Tuite was charged two years ago when the victim's blood was discovered on a red sweatshirt Tuite had on the night of the killing.

He was seen in the Crowe neighborhood the night of the killing knocking on doors, looking in windows and asking for a friend named "Tracy."

Prosecutors also said the defendant liked to carry knives.

Previous Stories:

• April 13, 2004: Michael Crowe Continues To Testify
• April 6, 2004: Blood Stain Expert Testifies In Tuite Trial
• April 2, 2004: Jurors Hear Crowe Say He Doesn't Recall Killing Sister
• March 30, 2004: Jury Hears Teens' Plot To Kill Crowe
• March 29, 2004: Jurors Hear Teen Say Two Friends Killed Stephanie Crowe
• March 25, 2004: Original Lead Investigator Testifies In Tuite Trial
• March 23, 2004: Jurors In Tuite Trial Continue To Watch Interrogations
• March 22, 2004: Tuite's Defense Tries To Create Reasonable Doubt
• March 18, 2004: Defense Calls First Witness In Tuite Trial
• March 17, 2004: Deputies Relive Embarrassing Tuite Escape
• March 16, 2004: Parents Of Murder Victim Testify
• March 15, 2004: DNA Analyst: Crowe's Blood On Tuite's Sweatshirt
• March 12, 2004: Crowe Younger Sister Takes Stand
• March 2, 2004: Examiner: Wounds Didn't Prevent Crowe From Screaming
• March 1, 2004: Girls Say Tuite Followed Them To Escondido
• February 25, 2004: Former Cellmate Testifies Against Tuite
• February 24, 2004: 'Tracy' Testifies In Tuite Trial
• February 20, 2004: Bailiff Fails To Secure Tuite's Cuffs Correctly
• February 19, 2004: Witness: Tuite 'Didn't Look Right' Night Of Murder
• February 18, 2004: Tuite Defense Blames Victim's Brother, Friends
• February 18, 2004: Tuite Murder Trial: Watch Openings Statements
• February 17, 2004: Opening Statements Presented In Tuite Trial
• February 10, 2004: Jurors Sworn In For Tuite Trial
• February 9, 2004: Jury Selected For Tuite Trial
• February 6, 2004: Potential Jurors Questioned On Tuite's Escape
• February 6, 2004: Prosecution Wants Jury To Consider Tuite's Escape
• February 4, 2004: Judge: Tuite Trial To Continue As Planned
• February 3, 2004: Man Allegedly Witnesses Tuite Escape
• February 3, 2004: Accused Murderer Captured After Escape
• February 2, 2004: Jury Selection Begins For Crowe Murder Case
• January 14, 2004: Judge OKs Bloody Undershirt In Tuite Trial
• December 19, 2003: Tuite Trial To Remain In San Diego
• December 12, 2003: New Evidence Revealed In Crowe Murder Case
• September 25, 2003: Judge: Tuite Mentally Competent To Stand Trial
• September 23, 2003: Tuite Competency Trial Begins
• July 16, 2003: Judge: Tuite Must Be Examined By Psychiatrist
• June 9, 2003: Judge Could Reveal Tuite's Troubled Past To Jurors
• March 26, 2003: Tentative Date Set For Tuite Trial
• March 17, 2003: Tuite Pleads Not Guilty To Crowe Murder
• March 4, 2003: Tuite To Stand Trial For Crowe Murder
• February 27, 2003: Teen In Tuite Hearing Can't Explain Knife
• February 26, 2003: Teen Takes Stand In Tuite Hearing
• February 25, 2003: Prosecutors Play 'Confession' Tape In Tuite Hearing
• February 21, 2003: Prosecutors Will Also Show Tapes In Tuite Hearing
• February 20, 2003: Tape: Teen Admits Part In Stephanie Crowe Murder
• February 19, 2003: Will Tuite Stand Trial For Stephanie Crowe's Murder?
• February 14, 2003: Court: Tuite Can Present Evidence Against Crowe's Brother
• February 11, 2003: Tuite Preliminary Hearing On Hold
• February 10, 2003: Tuite Preliminary Hearing Continues
• February 6, 2003: 2nd Day Of Tuite Hearing Under Way
• February 5, 2003: Day 1 Of Tuite Preliminary Hearing Held
• September 19, 2002: Tuite's Preliminary Hearing Set
• August 26, 2002: Tuite Hearing May Come This Fall
• May 22, 2002: Crowe Family Wants Civil Case Sped Up
• May 16, 2002: Tuite Pleads Not Guilty To Crowe Murder
• May 16, 2002: Tuite To Be Arraigned Today
• May 15, 2002: Tuite To Be Charged With Stephanie Crowe's Murder
• May 14, 2002: Arrest Looms In 1998 Child Killing
• July 11, 2001: Crowe Murder Suspect Released From Prison
• May 30, 2001: Man Linked To Crowe Murder Back In Prison
• May 25, 2001: Man Investigated In Crowe Murder To Be Paroled
• November 28, 2000: Transient Suspected Of Escondido Murder Back Behind Bars