Deleon’s penalty phase enters final stage

A Long Beach man never showed signs of abuse and got along with his father just as often as he fought with him, an aunt testified during the penalty phase of his murder trial Monday.

Skylar Deleon was included in family photos, hung out with his cousin, Michael Lewis, and sometimes spent summers in the loving home during his teenage years, Deleon’s aunt Colleen Francisco told jurors Monday as they weighed whether he deserves the death penalty.

Deleon was convicted last month of killing Newport Beach couple Tom and Jackie Hawks in 2004 and John Jarvi in 2003. Attorneys are calling witnesses they hope can sway the jurors in their favor.

Monday’s testimony focused almost solely on Deleon’s childhood, and what, if any, abuse he suffered growing up. For most of last week, defense attorney Gary Pohlson called on Deleon’s sister, mother, stepmother and others to testify about the alleged physical and emotional abuse he endured from his earliest years at the hands of his father, John Jacobson Sr., who died earlier this year.

Relatives testified that as a child, no older than 5, Deleon, then known as John Jacobson Jr., or “Little Johnny,” was beaten and berated for the smallest mistakes — from a shirt not tucked in properly to crying too much. Relatives testified that he grew up in a house of drugs and told his mother his father and his father’s friend molested him. Pohlson said he’s looking to tell Deleon’s story to the jury, and hopefully conjure some sympathy so they’ll spare his life.

Senior Deputy Dist. Atty. Matt Murphy worked to punch holes in the abuse stories Monday.

“We tried to love [Deleon] and make him a part of our family,” Francisco told jurors.

Though Deleon lived with his mother and father until he was about 6 years old, Francisco testified she occasionally saw her nephew back then. She testified she never saw any signs of physical abuse, but said Jacobson was too hard on his son.

Other relatives testified that Deleon grew up with few, if any, friends. Francisco testified that her son, Michael Lewis, and Deleon hung out “like brothers” when they lived less than two miles away from each other in Huntington Beach as teenagers.

Deleon’s grandfather, Julius Jacobson, testified that he had never heard of any molestations, though in cross-examination from Pohlson he acknowledged Deleon and his father were essentially estranged from him for most of his life.

The testimony of relatives on Deleon’s childhood widely vary. Those closest to him growing up, his mother, stepmother and sister, all testified to witnessing extremely painful and consistent abuse from Deleon’s dad. All admit to not wanting to see him sentenced to death. Other relatives, those just outside that circle, such as Francisco, testified that Deleon was a normal child with friends, and they never saw any indications that Jaconson beat him.

Each side even had psychiatrists testify about the effects a traumatic childhood could have had on Deleon as an adult.

Monday, forensic psychiatrist Park Dietz testified that even if all the tales of abuse growing up were true, in the end, Deleon still had a choice when he killed Jarvi and the Hawkses.

Both attorneys get their last chance to sway jurors today. Murphy and Pohlson will give their closing statements before handing the case over to jurors, who will likely begin deliberating Wednesday.

JOSEPH SERNA may be reached at (714) 966-4619 or at joseph.serna@latimes.com.