Kerrigan Trial Day Four: "'Dad, I Love You, You've Got To Get Up.'"

The widow of Daniel Kerrigan returned to the stand Wednesday morning to discribe the moments just after her husband collapsed following an altercation with their son last year.

Brenda Kerrigan’s son, Mark, is charged with involuntary manslaughter and assault and battery in connection to his father’s death in January 2010. Her testimony concluded at about 10 a.m. Thursday, day four of the trial in Middlesex County Superior Court. She was followed by a medical examiner called by the defense.

Prosecutors rested their case against Kerrigan Wednesday afternoon.

Kerrigan’s sister, Olympic figure skater Nancy Kerrigan, has sat in the court pews behind him with other supportive family members during the trial.

Here's a look at some of the events from day four:

"Dad, I love you, you've got to get up": A tearful Brenda Kerrigan recounted her husband and son exchanging words early in the morning on Jan. 24, 2010, her son locking him into a "bear-hug." When the 70-year-old went into cardiac arrest and fell to the ground, her son begged him to get up, she said.

"He was telling Danny to 'get up,'" Brenda Kerrigan said through sobs. "'Get up, get up. Get up, Dad, I love you, you've got to get up.'"

Defense Medical Examiner Testifies: Prosecutors argued earlier in the trial that the crushed larynx Daniel Kerrigan suffered in the altercation with his son set off the heart attack that killed him. Dr. Elizabeth Laposata, a pathologist called by Mark Kerrigan's attorney, said it was possible that Daniel Kerrigan's actions leading up to the altercation with his son led to his fatal heart attack.

"It could have been the excitement and stress of getting up rapidly (from his bed), (going) down stairs, being emotionally overwrought where your blood pressure goes up and your heart rate goes up... during any of that period of time he was at risk to develop an arrhythmia that would lead to a fatal arrhythmia," Laposata said.

Read recaps from day , and of the trial. Return to Stoneham Patch tomorrow for more coverage.