In a tense courtroom testimony, Crosbie asserted his innocence against allegations of sexually assaulting a woman after a night out in Boston.
During the trial, Crosbie recounted his evening, mentioning he was in the hotel room when O’Brien returned from The Black Rose bar with a woman he had met.
He stated he left the room shortly after their arrival, sitting down the hall in a chair for about two hours before returning to find his bed still made with a towel he previously placed there.
Crosbie testified that he undressed to his boxers and got into bed, claiming he had only been in bed for a minute when he heard the woman exit O’Brien’s bed and enter the bathroom.
After rummaging through her belongings, the woman left the room, Crosbie said, emphasizing that he had no physical or verbal contact with her at any point.
When questioned directly about the accusations of rape, defense attorney Daniel C. Reilly asked Crosbie if he had committed the crime.
“I did not,” Crosbie responded firmly.
Subsequently, Crosbie revealed he informed his superiors at the Dublin Fire Brigade following police inquiries about the assault allegations.
Crosbie expressed his alarm after learning about the investigation, describing himself as “scared like a rabbit in headlights” and unable to comprehend the situation.
He added, “I’ve done nothing wrong,” reinforcing his assertion of innocence.
In his testimony, Crosbie stated he saw or heard no one upon his return to the hotel room that night.
“I absolutely would have known if there was someone in my bed when I got in,” he declared confidently.
Earlier, the woman involved in the incident had testified about a consensual encounter with O’Brien before falling asleep in a second bed.
She stated that she was later sexually assaulted by Crosbie when he entered her bed.
In emotionally charged testimony, the woman recounted waking to find Crosbie assaulting her, prompting tears as she read a distressing text she sent to a friend immediately after the alleged attack.
The woman also described changing her clothes at home before seeking medical assistance at Massachusetts General Hospital, where she spoke with police.
During Crosbie’s cross-examination, he engaged in a series of tense exchanges with Suffolk Assistant District Attorney Erin Murphy.
Murphy highlighted an instance where Crosbie speculated whether his DNA could be found on the woman’s clothing if he had masturbated on the bed earlier that morning while alone in the room.
However, she countered his timeline, noting that he was not alone in the hotel room at that time.
“That was just your attempt to give an answer in case your DNA showed up,” Murphy suggested.
“That’s incorrect,” Crosbie retorted.
He further explained that his queries regarding masturbation were merely hypothetical.
Despite admitting he did not see or hear anyone enter the room, Crosbie acknowledged that he knew O’Brien was still present with the woman.
Crosbie, the final witness in his trial, testified after both the prosecution and defense failed to present any DNA evidence linking him to the alleged sexual assault.
Additionally, a defense witness asserted that the woman was highly intoxicated during the incident, which played a significant role in the proceedings.
Dr. Christopher Rosenbaum, who provided expert testimony, observed that the woman’s blood alcohol level ranged from 0.155 to 0.235 at around 2 a.m., well above the legal limit for driving.
He stated, “Alcohol is what we call a sedative-hypnotic… It impairs cognitive function,” which can lead to memory loss.
Furthermore, both a prosecution DNA expert and a defense analyst reported finding no evidence of Crosbie’s DNA in connection with the case, undermining the assault allegations.
Rebecca Boissaye, a criminalist at the Boston Police Crime Lab, testified that her analysis of samples obtained from the woman’s evidence collection kit returned negative for Crosbie’s DNA.
On cross-examination, defense attorney Patrick Garrity pressed Boissaye multiple times on whether Crosbie’s DNA was present in the swabs taken from the woman.
“In the profiles detected, he was not included,” Boissaye confirmed.
Murphy sought to understand why skin cells might not be detected during testing, to which Boissaye responded, “We don’t always have enough DNA.”
Alexis DeCesaris, a DNA analyst from Bode Technology, corroborated that Crosbie’s DNA was absent from a genital swab taken from the woman.
Although DNA from two males was identified in the sample, the amounts were insufficient to match with a specific genetic profile.
As the trial draws to a close, Superior Court Judge Sarah Weyland Ellis has scheduled for closing arguments to commence on Monday, leaving the case in the hands of the jury.
Crosbie, who has been held in custody since his arrest, maintains his innocence, stating emphatically that he did not commit the crime he is charged with.
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